‘My heart almost stopped’: Hamilton

LEWIS Hamilton said his heart almost stopped after he won the British Grand Prix on three wheels following an extraordinary lastlap puncture.

Hamilton appeared on course to coast to his seventh victory at Silverstone on his seemingly unstoppable march towards a seventh world championship.

But halfway round his 52nd and final lap, Hamilton’s left-front tyre suddenly deflated at Woodcote corner. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, in second after Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas suffered an identical failure one lap previously, could sniff the most unlikely of victories.

Verstappen, who had just stopped for fresh tyres in a bid to gain a bonus point for setting the fastest lap – a decision which ultimately cost him the win – began his last lap more than half a minute behind Hamilton.

The world champion’s triumph looked in grave danger but, in a flurry of sparks (left), he managed to navigate the remaining two miles of Northamptonshire asphalt to take the chequered flag 5.8 seconds ahead of Verstappen. Hamilton’s last lap was 28 seconds slower than Verstappen’s.

Aside from his championship-winning triumph at the final corner on the final lap of the final race of the year in 2008, this had to rank as Hamilton’s most dramatic finish.

“I had never experienced anything like that on the last lap,” said Hamilton, moments after stepping out of his wounded Mercedes.

“My heart almost stopped. Oh my God, I was just praying to get it round. I nearly didn’t do it, but thank God we did.”

The victory moved Hamilton 30 points clear of Bottas at the championship summit after his teammate crossed the line in 11th following his puncture.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc took the flag in third.