Hamilton 'ecstatic' after dream debut
Briton Lewis Hamilton labelled his maiden Formula One Grand Prix as fantastic after clinching a podium finish in his first attempt
The rookie completed a sensational debut weekend by leading the race for four laps and then going on to finish in third place behind world champion teammate Fernando Alonso.
"It has been fantastic," admitted a delighted Hamilton. "To lead my first GP was a fantastic feeling. I had Fernando behind me for a long time and it's pretty tough when you have a two-time champion behind you, especially in the first race.
"The team has done a fantastic job, not just here but at the factory, they have been great. I don't know what happened at the second stop, the stop went fine but the backmarkers were quite tough.
"I was ecstatic and I still am. To be in my first GP, all the hard work has paid off. I am happy for myself and also the team. A great starting point and a great foundation for the rest of the season.
"I think this is probably beyond my dreams. To be in F1 is a dream, but to go in your first race and have a third is something that you don't expect."
Hamilton became Formula One's 55th driver to score points in his first race, and the first driver to reach the podium on his debut since Jacques Villeneuve in 1996.
The 22-year-old led teammate Alonso for a big part of the race after jumping ahead of the Spaniard at the start.
"I got a pretty decent start," he said. "I think we got the same start, the BMWs were quick off the grid and Kubica got me. I thought there was no way to stay inside so I went left and managed to outbrake everyone and get a couple of places."
Hamilton lost out to Alonso during the second round of pitstops, the Briton losing a gap of nearly two seconds when he found Takuma Sato in front just before diving into the pits.
"Fernando was quick and I had to push as hard as I could. I was coming up on backmarkers and they were blue flagged but very late, when I was right on their tail, but then they didn't move over.
"The only chance to stay ahead of Fernando was to overtake a backmarker and then he got stuck, but it didn't happen."
The steps needed to get a W Series graduate into F1
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali grabbed the headlines recently when he suggested that it would likely be at least another five years before a woman could get in to grand prix racing.
Zhou never doubted Alfa Romeo F1 contract extension
Zhou Guanyu feels his contract extension with Alfa Romeo was never in doubt, with the Sauber-run squad impressed by the Chinese driver’s progress throughout his rookie Formula 1 campaign.
Albon prepared for Singapore F1 return after missing Monza
Alex Albon says he is prepared to return to his Williams Formula 1 seat at the Singapore Grand Prix, after missing the Monza race with appendicitis.
Can Hamilton produce another Singapore magic moment?
The Singapore Grand Prix has, explains BEN EDWARDS, played an important role in Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 career. As the series returns to the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the first time in three years, he faces the latest challenge with an underperforming Mercedes car
Can Hamilton produce another Singapore magic moment?
The Singapore Grand Prix has, explains BEN EDWARDS, played an important role in Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 career. As the series returns to the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the first time in three years, he faces the latest challenge with an underperforming Mercedes car
Why Sainz is key to Ferrari achieving its chairman's F1 goals
Although Ferrari's chances of title glory in 2022 have evaporated, chairman John Elkann expects the team to have chalked up both championships by 2026. Both require drivers to play the team game and, having now become more comfortable with the F1-75, Carlos Sainz may be Ferrari's key to title glory
How F1 has tried to avoid repeating its 2014 engine rules mistakes
With Formula 1’s future engine regulations now agreed, MARK GALLAGHER wonders if they will provide a more competitive field than past attempts actually managed
How its faltering first turbo car advanced a Williams-Honda glory era
STUART CODLING charts the development of the Williams FW09, the ugly duckling that heralded the start of the title-winning Williams-Honda partnership
The Moss-Ferrari farce that current F1 drivers are thankfully spared
Recent moves within the driver market have reminded MAURICE HAMILTON of a time when contracts weren’t worth the paper they weren’t written on…
Audi’s innovative first assault on grand prix racing
It has been a long time coming but Audi’s arrival in Formula 1 is finally on the horizon for 2026. But it won’t be its first foray into grand prix racing, as the German manufacturer giant has a history both long and enthralling
The seven factors powering Verstappen's 2022 F1 domination
After a tooth and nail and, at times, toxic Formula 1 world championship scrap last year, Max Verstappen's march to a second consecutive title has been the exact opposite. But has he really changed in 2022? Here's a dive into what factors have played a crucial role, both inside the Verstappen camp and elsewhere, in the Dutch driver's domination
Why Hamilton is still the man to keep driving Mercedes forward
Lewis Hamilton’s words in a recent Vanity Fair interview define both his world-view and his approach to this season: one of perpetual struggle against adversity. As GP RACING explains, that’s what Lewis feeds off – and why, far from being down and nearly out, he’s using his unique skillset to spearhead Mercedes’ revival…