General
Why Hamilton's win at Silverstone is good for Formula 1
- Ludo van Denderen
It was real. Pure emotion. The tears that Lewis Hamilton shed during the exit lap came after more than 2.5 half years without a win; a period when there were people who doubted him. Whether he was still good enough for Formula 1. Motivated enough to go to the limit every race. All those questions have been answered: yes, Lewis Hamilton can still do it, and that is good news for Formula 1.
A week ago in Austria, in the famous square where the media talk to the drivers, Lewis Hamilton was the only Mercedes employee not ecstatic after George Russell's win. Naturally, the Briton congratulated his teammate. However, he was mostly annoyed with his own performance, and the conversation with the writing media therefore lasted barely a minute and a half. With a sour face, Hamilton went back to his team.
Hamilton always remained honourable
If anyone should have made Mercedes a winning team again, it was Lewis Hamilton - there is no doubt about it. There at the Red Bull Ring was a glimpse of the ambition Hamilton still possesses. Perhaps the outside world did not always realise it, when they saw Hamilton on the red carpet at a fashion show again or heard him talk about the film project with Brad Pitt.
But Hamilton hates losing. More than anything else. Whether it was extra motivation for the British Grand Prix, after his 'defeat' against Russell? There's no telling. Hamilton excelling at Silverstone on Sunday is a fact, though. With Lewis Hamilton as winner of a Grand Prix, all newspapers around the world are jubilating with him this Monday.
Hamilton remains Formula 1's showpiece
Undoubtedly, at the Formula 1 offices, people are also gilded by the seven-time champion's win. After Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and George Russell, Hamilton is already the sixth race winner this season. A sign that Formula 1 is hugely competitive at the moment. Yet above all, F1 will care that it is Lewis Hamilton who finds his name in this list of winners. After all, Lewis Hamilton is still Lewis Hamilton; the sport's showpiece, even though Max Verstappen had surpassed him athletically.
If Hamilton can structurally compete for the top prizes again and thus compete with Max Verstappen, it will mean more spectators, more television viewers and thus more revenue for Formula 1. After all, no one will ever forget the 2021 season, in which Hamilton and Verstappen fought each other to the last race. It was all very clever what Verstappen did the previous two seasons with Red Bull, but neutral fans would much rather see a weekly battle between the very best. And that still includes Lewis Hamilton, is the conclusion after the British Grand Prix.