Lewis Hamilton has sent a defiant message to his critics following his dominant win at the Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
Hamilton ended a year-long victory drought in Barcelona last weekend, taking an emotional first Grand Prix win for Ferrari.
The magnitude of the victory could be felt in Parc Ferme, the seven-time world champion finally inside the ranks of drivers that won for the Scuderia.
His mechanics and the rest of the team could not hide their joy at seeing their star signing take an iconic first win.
Asked if he sees this victory as special Hamilton recalled the “journeys” behind each of his 106 wins.
“They’re all special in their own way,” he said to media, including Motorsport Week.
“There are different journeys to each of them. The one in Silverstone in 2024 was in its own way a monumental moment for me, because it’s a moment where I never thought maybe that I’d ever get to win again.
“And then after a year like last year, there were definitely moments that I was like, ‘Sheesh, maybe it is true that when you get to a certain point, you lose it.’
“But I’ve proven that you don’t. You always have it and it just takes work.”
Lewis Hamilton: “I feel great physically”
Now aged 41, Hamilton is now finding himself up against far younger drivers, including 19-year old championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
He then outlined his self-belief, he belief that he is performing at the top level.
“It takes perseverance, that constant believing in yourself to tap into your inner self and keep yourself alive, keep yourself fit,” he said.
“And I feel great physically, racing with 19-year-olds who are doing amazing, but I feel great.”
Hamilton is now back approaching peak performance, with Barcelona demonstrating that he can still beat competitors more than half his age.
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