Lewis Hamilton on reaching 100 F1 wins: ‘I wasn’t sure it would come’

Lewis Hamilton admits he “wasn’t even sure” his 100th career victory in Formula 1 would come after reaching the milestone at a dramatic Russian Grand Prix.
Race winner Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 on the podium.
Race winner Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 on the podium.
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Hamilton passed McLaren’s Lando Norr𒊎is as rain fell in a frantic last few laps to claim his fifth win of the season and record a cent🎶ury of grand prix victories to move back into the lead of the world championship.

The seven-time world champion had to work hard for the unprecedented achievement after a 🧔messy qualifying and poor start left him as low as seventh on the opening lap.

But Hamilton fought back and took the lead when Mercedes made the right call to switch to intermediate tyres amid the ♑late downpour to seal the win.

“It’s taken a long time to obviously get to 100 and I wasn’t even sure whether it would come,” Hamilton saꦆid in parc ferme after the race.

“Obviou𒉰sly, the team made a great call right at the en🐷d.

“I didn’t want to let Lando go, of course, I didn’t know what the weather was doing but I am incred🐼ibly grateful to all these men and women that are here and back at the factor because I am hungry.”

It marked Hamilton’s first win since the British Grand Prix in July, ending a ru♐n of four races without appearing on the top step of the podium.

“That was such a special𝕴 moment for me in front of the home crowd [at Silvers༺tone], to share it with them, obviously the first time they were all back [after COVID],” Hamilton said.

“Of course I came back [after the summer break] hoping to get a good resuജlt at some point but they came out the startജing blocks, winning every race, and then obviously the difficult race we had last.

“I didn’t know when it would happen and I knew that it would be difficult. Just in terms of th𝐆e pace we have, it’s good but it’s🉐 not exceptional.

“We’ve de⛦finitely still got work to do and I’m hopeful we can maybe squeeze out a bit more performance these next races. I hope and have my fingers crossed.”

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