[imagesource:here]
The news that Lewis Hamilton once again won the British Grand Prix is in no way surprising.
After all, this was his third successive win on the Formula One circuit, and his seventh in his home country.
What did make for great drama were the final few laps of the race, with a great deal of jostling taking place between drivers, before Hamilton’s front left tyre punctured at the start of his final lap at Silverstone.
Here’s Eurosport:
Mercedes looked set for a one-two finish until both race leader Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas suffered tyre failures.
Bottas’ struck with two laps to go, which saw him finish outside the points, while Hamilton was able to hold on after a puncture at the start of his final lap.
“Your heart drops,” Hamilton told Sky Sports afterwards…
“I could hear the seconds being counted down as Max Verstappen was catching me. Thankfully, with support, we managed to bring it home.
“Survival instincts come over you. Right to the limit.”
You can see the moment Hamilton’s tyre punctures here, but let’s focus on the race’s final minute:
A dramatic final minute at Silverstone, as @LewisHamilton and his Mercedes hold on for a famous victory!
#BritishGP
#F1 pic.twitter.com/CmD8hrz2Fw
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2020
If that video doesn’t work, see the official video on YouTube here.
Lewis was suitably relieved to finish the race:
Not your average chequered flag…
#BritishGP
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2020
Just take a look at the state of that tyre:
Eyes front left as Lewis Hamilton somehow makes it back to parc ferme at Silverstone
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 2, 2020
Shredded.
The win was particularly special for Hamilton in that it set for a new record for the most wins by a driver in their home event, surpassing Alain Prost’s six in the French GP.
He also set a new record for most races led from start-to-finish, beating Ayrton Senna’s 19.
Hamilton is now just four short of Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 career wins, and one short of Schumacher’s 155 career podium finishes.
See the full race highlights here.
[source:eurosport]
