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Lewis Hamilton has regained his mojo and is heading to a track he has conquered eight times. That’s what his victory at Silverstone a fortnight ago did for him, his ninth win there sending him on a cloud of joy.
Then, as he revealed on Thursday before the Hungarian Grand Prix, he stayed at home in west London on the night of his victory in front of 164,000 delighted British fans. A curry for himself and a few friends. He is 39 years old and the comforts of home suited him very well that night.
A huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders, as was evident in his attitude and words. Suddenly, the doubts that had plagued him during the two and a half years he spent without winning have dissipated and there is a chance that he will let himself be carried away by the momentum.
And their Mercedes car is suddenly on a par, or close to it, with Red Bull and McLaren. Hats off to Hamilton, George Russell and their team for that. And to their boss Toto Wolff, after it seemed their long run of dominance was in danger of terminal decline.
Commenting on his Silverstone win, Hamilton said defiantly: “I hope it’s a reminder that I’m not finished.”
Winning the British Grand Prix may have been exactly what Lewis Hamilton needed to get his mojo back.
The seven-time world champion has taken a huge weight off his shoulders with the victory
Hamilton has been full of emotion and renewed since taking victory at Silverstone.
On Thursday he couldn’t stop talking. In recent weeks he had been taciturn and occasionally irritable with Russell when they sat next to him. The change is radical.
He was very excited. “I wouldn’t say I’ve done much in the way of celebrating. I flew back, not in disbelief, but with pride. I came back to London, stayed and watched the highlights.”
“The next day I went out for a run around Hyde Park with the biggest smile I’ve ever had. That moment was incredibly special on its own, but Silverstone and the fans make all the difference.”
Hamilton hugged his father Anthony after claiming his 104th win. They hugged for a long time, about 20 seconds. “Every now and then he says something very sincere and we talk a lot,” Lewis said of his father.
‘Throughout my life, there were times when I felt ashamed for letting people down, so it was nice to experience victory with those I grew up with. A lot of people felt that way and that was something I hadn’t really thought about or appreciated, so it was a nice reminder of how much love and support there is.
‘We’ll see throughout the year. I would say my body language and energy have changed in this last week, but I’m still myself and I’m not sure what’s ahead, and I’m preparing in the best way. This shows that everything is possible and that you have to keep going. There will be turbulence ahead, I’m sure, but also the possibility of good days.
The 39-year-old shared a long hug with his father Anthony after winning on home soil.
The last time the Mercedes driver won a race was at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021.
“Every weekend has been the ultimate test of the team’s willpower and persistence. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves and that’s key to our approach. But we’re also thinking: ‘Fuck it, the game is on’. We’re fighting, we’re chasing and we want to compete for as many wins as possible.”
At last, Hamilton and Mercedes are doing their part in what is turning out to be a decent season. I still very much doubt anyone can get the better of Max Verstappen (he’s too good and has the edge), but at least every race is alive. And I have a sneaking suspicion that a revitalised Lewis will claim victory here on Sunday.
Formula 1: open to all
Ralf Schumacher has announced that he is in a relationship with a man, something that, frankly, has not been the surprise of the millennium for the paddock.
The 49-year-old German, who was married to Cora Brinkmann from 2001 to 2015, announced his happy news on Instagram at the weekend. His 22-year-old son David is happy for the German, who continues to work for Sky Germany during race weekends.
Inclusion and diversity advocate Lewis Hamilton welcomed the news of Schumacher’s younger brother’s romance but called for more to be done to break down barriers.
Speaking in Hungary, he said: “I think it all started when Seb (Vettel) and I were on the grid here, fighting against what the government was doing. And when I was wearing a (rainbow) helmet in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Ralf said it was not a good idea to do such things. Maybe today he has changed his mind and even the fact that he has taken that step sends a very positive message.”
Ralf Schumacher (left), Michael’s brother, came out publicly via his Instagram account
Hamilton touched on Schumacher’s feelings about his rainbow helmet in 2021 and wondered if the former driver might have “changed his mind”
Asked for comment, F1 said: “It’s a very positive thing for the sport and for Ralf that he has announced this news.
‘This shows that F1 has made great strides forward in terms of inclusion and diversity and that it feels able to be open about its sexuality.
“We want to continue to strive to ensure that everyone feels accepted and welcomed as they are, but we should all be proud of the progress we are making.
“We want to show everyone that our amazing sport is open to everyone.”
A hurricane in Hungary
Three races after a fire in the McLaren paddock motorhome forced the circuit to close, the roof has come off.
On Wednesday afternoon, a storm hit Budapest and submerged part of the track facilities. The organisers worked at top speed to rebuild the venue and the scorching sun did the rest of the restoration work at 33 °C.
The only glaring hole left was in the McLaren building, from where Lando Norris’s press calls were transferred outside. This weekend, Norris will be set up in the team’s engineering centre next door, and says his old room still smells of the smoke that hit Spain.
Lando Norris said the McLaren building still smells faintly of smoke after the fire at the Spanish Grand Prix
Bernie Ecclestone has given his sharp opinion on the foiled assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump
It seems that McLaren might be looking to get a new motorhome or better accessories in the future. The car is not bad at all, of course.
Bernie shares advertising tips with Trump
Bernie Ecclestone tells me he thinks the fact that Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt is the perfect publicity stunt.
The former F1 boss is looking to capitalise on the events. With black eyes and bruises after being assaulted in London 14 years ago, he organised a photo shoot with F1 sponsors, Swiss watchmaker Hublot.
Along with its effervescence in the ad, the publicity stunt included the words: “See what people are willing to do for a Hublot.”