Hamilton: “We never expected to win”

2011 German Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Nurburgring, 2011

Lewis Hamilton said his victory in the German Grand Prix came as a surprise to him.

Speaking afterwards he said: “We never expected to come here this weekend and be so fast. We were looking good in that last race a little bit.

“The guys did a fantastic job, really pushing very hard, even the guys back in Brixworth [Mercedes-Benz] HPE have been pushing very, very hard. The engine was great.

“It was one of the best races I think I’ve ever done.”

He described some of the areas where the car has improved: “I think bit by bit, just learning more about how the car is behaving and with the driving I was able to learn to look after the tyres a little bit more.

“Those are certain areas where I was losing out to these guys. I was quickest in the first sector, quickest in the last sector but struggling in the middle sector so I was really improving my line in a lot of different places.

“Particularly turn three, the apex of turn three I’m sliding the tyres quite a lot, so later on I was able to recover from that and avoid the sliding. At turn eight, which is the fast chicane, I wasn’t able to take it flat out at the beginning of the race while these guys, well, Mark was, and he was catching me massively.

“I was really surprised again that my tyres lasted so long later on in the race.

“There’s still areas we need to improve on, particularly on heavier fuel for the beginning of the race. But this is a massive step forward and I really hope that we as a team can use this, propel us forward and keep the momentum going.”

2011 German Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
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    28 comments on “Hamilton: “We never expected to win””

    1. This is a really nice interview with Hamilton on the BBC forum today! Interesting to hear him speak comprehensively again.

    2. I’m happy because Alonso lost but still happy it has been proved my logic is more logical than PM’s ;)

      1. I’m NOT happy because Alonso lost :P

        1. don’t worry eggry, i get what you mean!

      2. I’m happy when a driver I like wins not when a driver I don’t like loses.

        Amazing drive from Lewis. Fully deserved win.

      3. Logically speaking …

        Not too sure I get your point here though. You mean, you are happy for Alonso feeling good even though he did not win? And that shows your not just happy when he wins?

          1. I see what you mean Eggry, but we are talking about PM, who always wants to be right so not sure if he accepts this. However, good job and I know what you mean and what a great race.

    3. Also very nice to see how it was each car being fast in different places today, that added a lot to how it panned out, I think!

      1. I agree it was nice to watch the drivers make the most of the strengths of their individual packages, as well as doing their best to mask the weaknesses. RBR was killer in the middle sector… sometimes a half second advantage! The rest of the teams have some way to go before matching them on aero grip IMO. Lewis was usually quicker in the first & last sector but the difference wasn’t as huge. Alonso seemed to be there or thereabouts with Lewis in the middle & final sectors, but Lewis consistently had a tenth or two on him in sector one. Alonso usually clawed it back by the end of the lap though, because for most of the race there was very little between the top three. Hamilton’s decisive overtakes on both Webber & Alonso was what ultimately gave him the win. I don’t think he’d have gotten past Alonso especially if he didn’t make it stick the first time.

    4. Thats how F1 should be. That race was fantastic.

      McLaren also once again, fastest car on race day. There is also no rhyme and reason as to when they are fastest either. They’ve been quickest on high speed circuits and quickest on a moderately high downforce circuit (today)

      1. They weren’t really the faster car. All top three cars looked similar on race pace.
        Red Bull seems to lose pace as the fuel goes down, Mclaren has good initial pace in new tyres but eats the tyres a little earlier and gets got while Ferrari is gentle on tyres and may take longer to heat the tyres or have problems with harder compounds.

        1. “gets caught” sorry

        2. Yep, in short this is the case.

          I bet you had it been 40 Celsius Alonso would have walked away with it.

          The conditions – smoothest track surface, low temperatures – played onto Hamilton’s hands.

          However he drove a great race and an even more fantastic Q, so he certainly deserves it this time.

    5. He’s right, no one expected them to win (at least before qualifying). Button’s side of the team were like at Silverstone, Hamilton’s side were like China.

    6. Lewis & Alonso are the real reasons I watch F1 anymore. You can always be sure that both those guys will try their hardest to get the maximum result… in Lewis’ case sometimes he tries a little too hard, but I love watching him for it. Hats off to the two best RACERS in the current field (& I don’t even like Alonso… gotta give credit where credit is due though). Kobayashi is one to watch too.

      1. I’m not always too fond of Hamilton, but I have to admit that without Alonso and Hamilton, this sport would hold no interest to me right now. Two phenomenal racers who can take the fight to whoever is driving superior machinery. Vettel has shown us this season that he is good, but today, he also showed us that he cannot match the two legends that are Fernando and Lewis.

      2. Kobayshi went to 9th for 18th so good day
        His battles of pastor and rosberg was great

        I still think Alonso is better then Hamilton

        1. I’m a Hamilton fan, but I’m not willing to call it between him & Alonso overall to be honest. Always flashes of brilliance from both… however I’d give Lewis the nod when it comes to overtaking, while Fernando has my vote for extracting the most from an under-performing car. They’re both 2nd to each other in those respects, IMO & that’s why it’s hard for me to give one the clear nod over the other. No other driver in the current field comes close to them.

    7. Jeffrey Powell
      24th July 2011, 22:23

      Let’s hope he dosen’t expect to win next week as well.

      1. Younger Hamii
        25th July 2011, 0:09

        Agreed,So that Lewis can unexpected win at Hungary as well.

        McLaren are really Confusing.At Grand Prix Weekend when they say that they’re not going to be competitive or Competing with Red Bull to say the least,they somehow end up competing with them,matching the Bulls’ Pace or slightly better.On the other hand,A Grand Prix Weekend when they talk up their Upgrades and big themselves up,they end up producing a disappointing result.

    8. I truly believed that Lewis would have been able to get passed Mark at the start, which seems to be a weak point for Webber, and with a little luck go on for the win. I was really impressed in how he dealt with the pressure from Fernando and Mark in an aggressive but well controlled manner, to go on for a well deserved win.

    9. he wasn’t sure whether he will perform at all in this race but with some good lap in quali he was confident & raced very hard with no trouble the way the real Lewis do.

    10. Mr Fly-by-wire Lewis Hamilton!

    11. Good race. I am following to watch a good old fight between Alonso and Hamilton.
      Hamilton was an absolute dog when passing Webber and Alonso. Great job.

    12. Hamilton made a superb race.He managed to extract all the juice from his McLaren to win the battle,in one word “itractable´´.
      Due to his victory there is still hope.
      Sorry,I´m a Alonfan but recognize that whithout Lewis
      the actual F1 would be a piece of s…..
      Grats from Spain.

    13. Lets hope that MP4-26 is going to be quick in thin air as it is in thick one…

    14. Going into this weekend I would have thought this result a surprise but knowing that Webber was on pole, who’s already had a bad start or 2 this year I thought it was going to be Hamilton’s to lose.

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