How Hamilton took a “completely different journey” to Portugal victory

Just as he did in 2020, Lewis Hamilton had to come from behind to win the 2021 Portuguese Grand Prix. Only this time there were two rivals he had to pass, among the several challenges he had to overcome, on his way to securing a 97th grand prix victory

“It was a completely different journey to get the result we just got.”

That was Lewis Hamilton’s assessment of his 97th Formula 1 career victory at the 2021 Portuguese Grand Prix. But, really, his triumph at the Algarve Circuit last weekend did bear some noticeable similarities to his win at the same track last October.

In both races Hamilton fell behind his key rival, and he also had to make vital passes to secure the lead in each event. The difference this time around, though, is that things simply mattered more in terms of the title fight when F1 arrived in Portugal.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.