A MIRACLE WIN AT HOCKENHEIM
Brit star storms from 14th to take win and go top in title race
ON a day when Sebastian Vettel was supposed to take control of the title race on home soil, Lewis Hamilton produced a “miracle” victory.
The defending champion had a nightmare on Saturday, when his Mercedes broke down in qualifying, leaving him to start from 14th on the grid while his German rival took pole position.
But after surviving the usual wacky-races first lap, Hamilton systematically picked off one driver after another, before rain and Vettel crashing out changed the face of the race, and helped the Brit take the chequered flag.
It capped a whirlwind 24 hours for Hamilton – who was booed by German fans before the race – with the heavens opening as he stood on top of the podium. He looked to the sky and spread out his arms wide (above).
He had lost the British Grand Prix to Vettel two weeks ago and had to listen to taunts from the German, but answered in style at Hockenheim.
Hamilton said: “It has been the most emotional day. I have never had a race like this. I woke up this morning and you always have to have the belief that it is possible.
“I prayed as I always do before the race, and my prayers were answered. It has freaked me out a little bit more than normal, particularly with the biblical storm afterwards.
“In England, I didn’t remember hearing the fans booing the drivers, but here there was a lot of booing for me. I kept seeing a couple of different British flags among a sea of Ferrari red.
“That was so positive for me, and that is why I said that love conquers all. The rain came down and washed away the negativity. Today is just unbelievable.” Hamilton leapt from his Mercedes, before jumping into a sea of mechanics (below), as he celebrated a win described by his race engineer Peter Bonnington as a “miracle”. It is one that has moved him 17 points clear of Vettel. But the victory had hung in the balance for close to 90 minutes after the champion was hauled in front of stewards for aborting a late pit stop, cutting across the grass, and rejoining the track. “The pit call was so confusing,” Hamilton added. “I questioned it and it turned out to be the right thing. It was so intense. They were all panicking on the pit wall, and I was probably the only relaxed one.”
The question was whether he had done so in an unsafe manner. But after explaining his version of events, the Briton avoided a time penalty, and was handed only a reprimand to ensure the 66th win of his career.
Vettel had still appeared on for victory until the rain started with a quarter of the race left.
With just 15 laps to run, Vettel was in the wall. The Ferrari driver had spectacularly crashed, and he was out of the race. Hamilton did the rest.