Formula 1 - A victory for the soul of "King Lewis"
This day, Lewis Hamilton will never experience it again. From the box of the Brit, the English football hymn "Sweet Caroline" echoed and his entire family celebrated. Rarely had the now 39-year-old Formula 1 superstar been so moved, so touched, so emotional. "I can't stop crying," he said.
In the arms of his Mercedes family, in the arms of his loved ones, in the hearts of his fans: The 104th victory of his career was one of the most important ones for the seven-time World Champion. I've had some great moments in my career, but in the last two and a half years, I wasn't even close to a win. It had been 945 days since his last Grand-Prix success.
"It's the Formula 1 fairy tale," wrote the Swiss tabloid "Blick." Tributes everywhere. "The King. Lewis returns as the jubilant king to his homeland," wrote "La Repubblica" from Italy. "Hamilton is reborn with a thundering triumph at Silverstone," thought Spain's "El País."
Moreover, it is another record in Hamilton's already long list of superlatives: No other driver has won nine times on the same track.
A little Dutch sarcasm
"Who would have thought? That Lewis Hamilton would win again, in a Mercedes," wrote "AD" from the Netherlands, and thus from the hometown of this race's second-place finisher, Max Verstappen. The Formula 1 duel was a kind of prelude to the UEFA European Championship semifinal between the Netherlands and England on this Wednesday.
Hamilton watched the entry of the "Three Lions" in the Round of 16 at the Football European Championship with the fans on the Silverstone Circuit and celebrated their success in the penalty shootout with them on Saturday evening.
Not even 24 hours later, he was the one who put his countrymen in a single ecstasy, carried them on his shoulders - and even received praise and recognition from the most bitter rival.
"Here we saw his strength and greatness again," said Red Bull's motor racing advisor Helmut Marko, looking especially at Hamilton's tire management under the heavy and changing conditions: "That shows how much routine and speed he still has."
Vettel's congratulations to Hamilton
The reward was the golden trophy, which he had watched as a little boy full of admiration on TV. The reward was immense emotions. "The wins are not the story. It's really about not wanting to disappoint anyone," said Hamilton's father Anthony.
"That was really honest," commented Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff on the second victory for the Silver Arrows in a row - a week earlier, teammate George Russell had profited from Verstappen's collision with Lando Norris in the fight for first place.
But it's clear that Mercedes, after the very difficult years 2022 and 2023, have caught up with the curve in this season with the car. Depending on the conditions, the W15 is a winning car - and Hamilton remains a winning driver. "One must respect the legends and never bury them," reminded France's sports newspaper "L'Equipe."
Even a former rival spoke up. Sebastian Vettel congratulated via Instagram Story. "Goat," wrote the four-time World Champion next to a photo of Hamilton with the Union Jack in a jubilant pose - G.O.A.T. is the English abbreviation for "Greatest of All Time."
When will Hamilton jubilee with Ferrari?
Vettel drove there, where Hamilton will sit behind the wheel starting from next year. This season and especially this win makes it particularly special for Hamilton, who has been driving for Mercedes since 2013. He remains British, of course, even if he switches. But Hamilton will wear red, and what Silverstone means for the Brits, Imola and Monza mean for the Italians.
Hamilton wants to achieve with Ferrari what Vettel also wanted, but which Ferrari, now 37 years old, could not manage in six years: to become World Champion.
And the trend of Scuderia is going against that of Mercedes in contrast. Carlos Sainz finished 5th in Silverstone, Charles Leclerc only 14th. When Hamilton experiences a day like this as a Ferrari driver remains to be seen.
- In the world of Formula 1, Sebastian Vettel from GP Great Britain also acknowledged Hamilton's achievement, using the acronym "GOAT" to refer to him as the 'Greatest of All Time.'
- The Spanish newspaper 'El País' celebrated Hamilton's victory by stating that "Hamilton is reborn with a thundering triumph at Silverstone."
- Despite being a staunch rival in the past, Vettel, who will drive for Ferrari starting next year, conveyed his congratulations to Hamilton via Instagram.
- The Dutch newspaper 'AD' highlighted Hamilton's victory with a touch of wit, writing, "Who would have thought? That Lewis Hamilton would win again, in a Mercedes."
- Hamilton, in his career, has broken numerous records, including becoming the first driver to win nine times on the same track, which was Silverstone.
- The Italian newspaper 'La Repubblica' praised Hamilton's victory, penning, "Hamilton is reborn with a thundering triumph at Silverstone," alluding to his British heritage.
- Lewis Hamilton's victory at Silverstone, which was the 104th of his career, was hailed as one of his most significant triumphs in recent years.
- The British driver Hamilton, who has been a crucial part of Mercedes-Benz's Formula 1 team since 2013, will be replacing Vettel at Ferrari beginning from the upcoming season.
- Hamilton's victory at Silverstone has struck a chord within the world of motorsport, with several international newspapers publishing tributes and analyses, reflecting on the impact and legacy of the Formula 1 superstar.
