WATCH: A Calm Peter Bonnington Guides Lewis Hamilton to Victory in a Nail Biting Last Lap Finish
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During the last couple of laps of the 2020 British Grand Prix, the Mercedes team nearly chewed their fingernails to the bone. This was because both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas got caught in a slew of late tire failures.
First, it was Bottas, which ended up with him losing a podium to Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. Then, on the last lap, it was Hamilton’s turn to press the panic button as his tire also gave up the ghost.
Fortunately, the calming voice of Pete Bonnington managed to help Hamilton keep his head screwed on tight. Truthfully, Lewis Hamilton had every reason to be nervous because Max Verstappen was gaining on him rapidly.
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WATCH: Lewis Hamilton Barely Wins the British Grand Prix Amidst Crazy Last Lap Drama
La calma di Bono. La freddezza nell'operare cambi al dif e alle mappe. La gioia. La richiesta di fermarsi in pista in attesa del recupero. La volontà di portarla comunque su tre ruote perché "tanto funziona bene"! Fortuna, tanta… ma che squadra! #BritishGP #Hamilton #Onboard pic.twitter.com/k46UwfHGAM
— Alex Brunetti (@deadlinex) August 2, 2020
Mercedes made sure that Lewis Hamilton was calm on the final lap
Every F1 fan knows that when a driver picks up a puncture, he has to slow down to control the car. Although Hamilton had a healthy 30-second gap on the final lap, the puncture meant that Verstappen was closing in fast.
This was literally a case of the tortoise and the hare. Hamilton took on the role of the former, and Verstappen was the latter.
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The good news was that Bonnington was constantly giving Hamilton regular updates on Verstappen’s whereabouts. As Lewis Hamilton trundled his 3-wheeled W11 around the last few corners, the Red Bull loomed closer and more threatening.
Fortunately, he had enough juice to cross the finish line ahead of Max Verstappen and bag yet another victory.
Admittedly, Lewis Hamilton gave himself a minor heart attack when he thought that the chequered flag did not wave. Luckily, the team was a bit more alert. They told him that he crossed the line five seconds ahead of Verstappen.
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In all honesty, this has to be one of Hamilton’s hardest victories and the most well-deserved.
SOURCE- Alex Brunetti- Twitter