Lewis Hamilton says winning British GP 'best thing ever’ as he recalls his eight F1 wins at Silverstone | F1 news

Lewis Hamilton reviews his victories at the British GP and talks through the 2021 clash with Max Verstappen; British GP live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Showcase; Qualifying at 3pm on Saturday and lights out for racing at 3pm on Sunday

Lewis Hamilton described winning the British Grand Prix as „the best thing ever” as he reviewed his eight F1 wins at Silverstone with Sky Sports F1.

In a special feature – The build-up to Saturday’s qualifying round will be broadcast from 2.15pm on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Showcase. – Hamilton described his feelings during the 2008, 2014-2017 and 2019-2021 victories.

Hamilton is the most successful driver in British GP history, a seven-time world champion with 12 podium finishes to go along with his eight wins, and has not finished outside the top three since finishing fourth in 2013.

„Winning the British Grand Prix is ​​the best thing ever,” Hamilton said Sky Sports F1.

„When you get your first win, you never think you’re going to have eight British Grand Prix wins.

„Those are statistics and numbers and statistics that you can only dream of.”

Hamilton feels 'one with the circuit’ for first Silverstone win

Hamilton’s first British GP victory came in 2008 when he produced a driving masterclass in the wet to win by more than a minute and out-list his fellow podium finishers Nick Heidfeld and Rubens Barrichello.

„I was feeling nervous. It was raining, which means mistakes can happen, and that’s the worst thing to happen, especially at your home Grand Prix,” Hamilton said of the race.

„I remember my brother Nicholas coming into my room and he was like 'Don’t worry about it bro, you got this, it’s your weather.’

„I felt at one with the circuit, I knew where the grip was, where not to put my car, where to put my car.

„The conditions were very difficult because people were living in the water especially inside the Abbey and every time I went there and didn’t get out, I would see the fans who were sitting in the rain standing up and I knew they were there. I was on the edge of my seat with them like I was on the edge of their seat.

„That was, for me, at least up to that point, the biggest race I’d ever made.”

2014 Overcame the crisis for success

Hamilton would have to wait another six years before standing on the top step at the British GP again and crashed out of the competition after qualifying sixth on Saturday.

But troubled by that performance, he was handed victory on race day, while title rival Nico Rosberg retired with gearbox failure.

„2014 was a while since I had a competitive car to win the British GP,” Hamilton recalled.

„Nico finished on pole and I finished sixth. I was very distraught after that. There’s a dark side like 'give up, you haven’t got it, you’re nothing’, and then good. 'Yes you’ve got this, you can do this’.”

„When you’re having a bad day, you start listening to the negative side and it drags you down more and more, and that’s what I experienced that day.

“But I brushed it off, came back the next day and played my heart out and we were going to win.

„It’s very important for me, I think, for the British fans. It’s been a while to wait.”

Hamilton talks 2021 crash with Verstappen

Hamilton’s most recent victory in 2021 came after an opening-lap collision with title rival Max Verstappen at Cobbs Corner.

Twenty-four hours earlier, in F1’s opening sprint, Verstappen overtook Hamilton at the start and the Briton was unable to chase down his title rival to take pole position for Sunday’s race.

Hamilton said he knew the events of the sprint would require him to improve in the opening stages if he was to have any chance of an eighth win at Silverstone. The Briton would overcome a 10-second penalty for the Verstappen incident to overtake Charles Leclerc in the final lap.

„I lost to Max at the start with a bit of wheel spin in the sprint race and couldn’t get close enough,” Hamilton said.

„The next day I knew I had to be in front and somehow make progress. I think I got a good start but he kept it on the outside through turn one.

„We were going into (turns) three, four and five where I think he drove me a little wide. I got back to him and got exit seven…

„We collided, that’s what happens sometimes in racing, that’s what happens in motorsport sometimes.

„I had a 10-second penalty, so I was like 'head down, focus, try to get it back’ and I did, and I thought it was an achievement.”

Following the crash, Verstappen was hit by obstacles with 51 times Earth’s gravity and required hospital checks.

The Dutchman was under medical observation as Hamilton Verstappen and Red Bull boss Christian Horner celebrated his win.

Hamilton said of those celebrations: „You don’t think about what happened earlier in the race, all you think about is being in the moment and sharing it with the fans.

„Even though the guy who was racing crashed, it was just a boost of sheer excitement – we won the Grand Prix after crashing after losing that place the day before. That’s it.”

Watch the full feature as Lewis Hamilton recalls his eight British GP wins in qualifying, live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Showcase from 2.15pm on Saturday.

Sky Sports F1’s live British GP schedule (all F1 sessions on Sky Showcase)

Saturday 8th July
9:15 am: F3 sprint
11.15am: British GP practice three (session starts at 11.30am)
1:10pm: F2 Sprint
2:15 pm: British GP qualifying build-up
3 pm: British GP Qualifiers
5.00 pm: Dead qualification notebook

Sunday 9th July
8:10 am: F3 feature race
9:50am: F2 feature race
11:50 am: Porsche Supercup
1:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday – British GP build-up
3pm: British Grand Prix
5pm: Checked flag: British GB reaction
6pm: Ted’s Notebook