Lewis Hamilton described a “crazy feeling” during the closing stages of the Brazilian Grand Prix as he held on to claim a victory that clinched the Constructors’ Championship for Mercedes.
Hamilton profited from Max Verstappen’s collision with Esteban Ocon to re-claim the lead, and kept the Dutchman at bay through the final laps, crossing the line 1.4 seconds clear.
Mercedes struggled for tyre life at Interlagos and Hamilton’s plight was accentuated by an engine problem that prompted the team to believe it was one lap from failing.
“I've been driving this engine since the beginning [of the hybrid era], so I know almost everything there is to know about the engine and how it feels,” he said.
“I pretty much [know] every note like the back of my hand, it was okay in the beginning, but when it started to not operate at its usual harmony…
“For me, I can't allow any negative or worrying thought get into my mind, so I just try and stay focused.
“I did a bit more lift and coasting, trying to do a bit less full throttle load, even part throttle load to make sure, just go as easy as I can on the engine whilst doing the job.
“I think there was a lot of great work that went on in the background with the engineers, here and I think back in the UK who were working on and understanding what they've got to turn down and tweak.
“So I was getting a lot of balls thrown at me whilst I was driving all the other stuff, so there will be switch changes and you do a default setting, one switch plus plus plus plus, and you go to another switch and down down down down and juggling that and they just kept throwing them at me.
“I'm really grateful the engine finished, for the last 10 laps I was just talking, shouting in the car 'Come on, come on, you can do it baby, keep it together' and just willing on the car.
“You can just never imagine how crazy that feeling is in the car when your heart rate is just going, my heart rate was above 190 or whatever for those last 10 laps.
“I was just trying to flat-chat hold on to the car that was already struggling with the tyres to keep the Red Bull which was much quicker behind and plus not let him get into the DRS for example.”
Hamilton joined the rapturous Mercedes celebrations post-race and the five-time World Champion described the moment as one of the best he has experienced in Formula 1.
“To be able to [win the title] and see everyone's excitement and to know we're going go back to the factory and see all those people who have worked for this, who have helped and really made it happen, they are the unsung heroes,” he said.
“I've never experienced the height that I'm experiencing here and I know when I get back to factory, it's going to be a higher energy level than I've ever felt.”
