Tears of joy for Hamilton as he makes ‘perfect call’

LEWIS HAMILTON fought back tears after he triumphed on home soil to take a step closer to becoming the first Briton to retain the Formula One world title.

Hamilton overcame a poor start and a rain-interrupted race to seal back-to-back victories in the British Grand Prix and move 17 points clear of Mercedes team-mate and championship rival,Nico Rosberg.

The turning point came nine laps from the end, when Hamilton pulled off what he described as the “best call I’ve ever made” to stop for wet tyres. Rosberg took the lead but was left with no choice other than to stop on the following lap when a downpour began.

Hamilton capitalised and he regained the lead, to the delight of 140,000 fans at Silverstone. “I have to admit, as I came round that last lap I was welling up seeing all those people on their feet,” said Hamilton. “The race was very tough. It was very slippery off the start but it made it more exciting. I was chasing down the Williams. “I got close enough on the first pit-stop and came out ahead after a really good outlap. And then the rain came. It’s always trickier for the guy who’s out in the lead because you’re the first one to get to it and it’s questionable how much risk you take. But for the first time, I made the right choice.”