Lewis Hamilton’s victory on home soil put mental health on the podium, as the British driver admitted that the last three seasons had him questioning his worth in a sport where he simply has no equal.
Lewis Hamilton made history last weekend as the first Formula 1 driver to win a record-breaking nine races at the British Grand Prix. It was the British driver’s first win in Formula 1 in 945 days, in an unwanted streak that stretched as far back as the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, 56 races ago.
For Hamilton, the sheer sense of relief was abundantly clear, even through the shield of his helmet, crying after a win for the first time in his long and celebrated career.
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Hamilton’s problems over the last three seasons have been at the forefront of the sport, as a team on the decline struggles to maintain pace with the high-flying Red Bulls and their championship-winning driver. Hamilton’s journey to his historic victory at the British Grand Prix had been fraught with challenges that extended beyond the racetrack, testing his resilience in ways he had never imagined.
“We live in a time where mental health is such a serious issue,” Lewis Hamilton said after the race. “I have experienced that. I’ve never cried from a win. It just came out. There’s been days since 2021 where I didn’t feel I was good enough to get back to where I am today, but I had great people around me.”
“To be able to see [my family] there and share this experience, they wanted to be at the last British Grand Prix with this team. There’s definitely been moments where I thought that this was it, that [winning] was never going to happen again.”
Hamilton’s triumph was more than a sporting achievement; it was a testament to his resilience and longevity in this sport. As the Mercedes driver secured his 104th career victory, lifting the coveted golden trophy in the intermittent British sunshine, the cheers from the stands reverberated through Silverstone. Hamilton was back where he belonged.