Finally it happened. After a 41-race winning streak, Sir Lewis Hamilton achieved what he admitted he doubted would ever come: his 106th Formula 1 victory. But not just any win, his first Grand Prix with Scuderia Ferrari.
It’s no surprise how the world has reacted, but what’s even more surprising is how his teammates have reacted to the Briton’s impressive win at yesterday’s Spanish Grand Prix. It is not uncommon for drivers to go up to a race winner and give them a pat on the back, a fist bump or perhaps a hug if they are friends to some extent. However, for Hamilton’s latest win, fellow drivers took to social media to comment on F1’s post, mostly by re-sharing or posting their own photos of the seven-time world champion, adding a congratulatory message. And that was just the message to the public – I’m sure there was a lot more behind the scenes.
It almost feels as if the guy won the World Championship instead of some random GP.
George Russell, who finished on the podium with Hamilton and Lando Norris, was the first to congratulate him, while taking a little innocent dig at the Ferrari driver’s age.
“Big congratulations to this guy because I know how hard he works,” Russell said. “We spent many years together at Mercedes, so I’m very happy to see him back at Lewis, I remember growing up watching Formula 1.”
Norris, who captured an all-British podium, also took part, as well as Kimi Antonelli, Nico Hulkenberg, Max Verstappen, and, of course, his teammate Charles Leclerc, who did not finish the race due to a mechanical failure.
“So happy for him, good to see him on stage. It was good to see it was an all-British stage from 1968. It was a good stage to be up there with George and Lewis, mainly Lewis because he’s a good guy to be up there and a good experience,” Norris said.
This isn’t the biggest achievement here, although it’s tied there. The big thing here is that these displays of appreciation point to a larger, more significant consequence of Hamilton’s victory. Look, like most sports, F1 thrives on drama, love and hate. It relies on headlines displaying one of these three angles to reach a wider audience, increase viewership, and ultimately generate more revenue.
It’s no surprise that when there’s a hero versus villain moment in sport, more people than usual come to watch F1. Hamilton vs Verstappen in 2001. Later, Verstappen and Russell engaged in a war of words worthy of a high school hallway. Verstappen then nearly stole the championship from Norris at the end of last season by scoring a dozen points. Likewise, people tune in almost as much to watch the fall of the season’s hero, as has happened with Red Bull and McLaren this year, while also enjoying the rise of a new superstar (Antonelli).
It’s no surprise that F1 and its supporting partners are keen on Hamilton’s first win with Ferrari – his first since leaving Mercedes, the same team that practically made him who he is today. It’s not only good for sports; This borderline is necessary. As much as I love Antonelli winning, to keep the championship from becoming so stale at the start of the year, F1 needed a different winner, and who better than the man many thought would never win again?
Is it too early to think about Hamilton earning the eighth world championship that was snatched away from him five years ago? So much so that this rise in fortune is being attributed to his partner Kim Kardashian? Most definitely. Regardless, his climb to the top step of the podium will undoubtedly go down as a seminal moment in F1 history and make for a great sporting story. I just hope he can achieve something more this year and not let Mercedes and Antonelli take away the championship.
Which other driver should join him?
