Hamilton says comfortable victory 'a real surprise' after Silverstone problems
Lewis Hamilton was surprised to take a straightforward victory at the Spanish Grand Prix after Mercedes had huge issues with their tyres in the previous two races.
Six-time world champion Hamilton extended his lead in the driver standings to 37 points on Sunday by winning at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for a fourth straight year.
He ended up 24 seconds clear of Max Verstappen in second, with team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who was third, the only other man not to be lapped.
The dominant win came after Hamilton and Bottas had encountered serious problems with their tyres in the two races at Silverstone which preceded this one.
Hamilton had to limp to victory with a puncture at the British Grand Prix as Bottas dropped out of the points, while Verstappen triumphed at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, prompting Mercedes to label him the pre-race favourite in Barcelona.
"It was a real surprise because we had this problem with the tyres," Hamilton said after his victory.
"Tyre management was very, very good and I think ultimately we had an understanding of what happened last week and what we brought into this weekend has enabled us to do what we did.
"It was hard work. The heat is crazy. I was focused on getting a perfect start and after that is was about managing the tyres.
"We didn't know how quick the Red Bulls were so I tried to get a measure of Max while the tyres evened out early on. I think tyre management was the difference in the end."
A masterclass from @LewisHamilton as he takes his fourth win of 2020 to extend his lead at the top of the driver standings!#SpanishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/EpRRBgPE2n
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 16, 2020
Hamilton added on Sky Sports: "It is a lot closer than people think but I was just in such a different headspace in the car it was a beautiful feeling, better than I have had in a long time.
"I was just in a daze out there, I was just in a different [place], I felt really good. I didn't even realise what lap it was at the end – that’s how zoned in I was - I was ready to keep going!
"Fantastic effort from the team, it felt good out there. A big thank you to everyone back in the factory - at this very difficult time for everyone in the world, they have continued on and kept pushing."
Hamilton overruled his team for his second pit stop by asking for medium tyres instead of softs.
"The strategy we are going to do and what tyres we are going to be using is something I study very hard before the race," he explained.
"I came to understand I could make the tyres last longer than we planned and I was even potentially looking in my mind at going for a one stop.
"I think the strategy we had was just right. At the end there was no need to take a risk of going on to a soft tyre. I had a fresh brand new medium tyre which I think was best."
This race saw Hamilton claim the F1 record for most podium finishes. With four wins in six races so far in 2020, the Briton is in a strong position to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world titles.