Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says “everything clicked and came together” for Lewis Hamilton at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The British driver bounced back from losing the lead on the first lap, using an alternative strategy to his rival Sebastian Vettel and taking advantage of the virtual safety car.
Hamilton went on to win the race by 3.5 seconds but while everything went right for the three-time F1 champion, his team-mate Valtteri Bottas failed to finish after an engine problem.
“That was an epic Grand Prix,” Wolff said afterwards. “Racing simply doesn't go more wheel to wheel – and we were treated to some fantastic racing for the win.
“The win was one for the whole team: an amazing drive from Lewis, great calls by our strategy team, good defensive driving by Valtteri, the fastest pit stops of the race and a quick, consistent upgraded car.
“Everything clicked and came together for us. It wasn't an easy race after we lost position at the start: we were on the back foot, so when Vettel covered the early undercut, we sent Lewis long and took the medium tyre – to give us options at the end with another set of softs.
“Then we made perfect use of the VSC and took a risk to run nearly half the race on a set of softs: we thought it would work out but it was always going to be tight.
“After that, it came down to some brilliant driving and then managing the tyres and engine just right to the final lap.
“But it was not a perfect day: we lost one car with a technical failure and Valtteri struggled with a damaged car after the contact at Turn 1.
“In spite of that, he drove well and the one-stop approach could have worked out for him until the VSC happened.”
