LEWIS IS UP FOR A FIGHT
LEWIS HAMILTON was forced off the track by Sebastian Vettel in the Spanish Grand Prix then said: “I loved it!”
The Brit recovered and found a way past the German to win by three seconds, cutting his championship lead to six points.
And after a battle in Barcelona that saw Vettel beat pole-sitter Hamilton off the starting grid and pull an outrageous overtaking move on Valtteri Bottas, the Englishman insisted he would not have it any other way.
After the 55th win of his career, Hamilton said: “It is how racing should be, that was as close as it could be.”
Reflecting on his wheel-to-wheel battle with Vettel, Hamilton added: “I felt like I ran out of road. It was close but that is how racing should be. I loved it. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“I was straining to keep up with Sebastian – it is a real privilege to race against someone as good as him.”
Vettel had already seen off Bottas before Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate suffered a blown engine that ended his race.
The Ferrari ace went on to finish second and enjoyed the battle almost as much as Hamilton.
Vettel said: “Lewis came out of the pits and I was surprised it was so close.
“I don’t know if we touched but I managed to stay ahead.
“I was doing all I could to stay in front but as soon as I was alone he just flew past me down the straight.
“Well done to him. He drove a good race.”
Once Bottas had gone, Hamilton and Vettel turned this into a two-horse race.
The rest were so far behind that Daniel Ricciardo, in third place, was 75.8secs behind the winner.
Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari went out at the start after a collision with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Bottas made contact with Raikkonen and pitched him into the Belgian driver.