Before you have me at the stake, let me explain. It’s been a while since we revisited this series, but today, you’ll hear a tale where slow and steady indeed won the race. The race? Silverstone 2020, where Hamilton clinched victory on three wheels instead of four.
Ask any Formula One fan, and they’ll regale you with the legends of Silverstone. In 1991, Ayrton Senna hitched a ride back to the pits on Mansell’s Williams after running out of fuel. Or, in 2010, Mark Webber’s cheeky victory message at Silverstone: “Not bad for a number two driver.”
Silverstone oozes drama. Sure, Monaco has its own allure, but size does matter there! So, what was new about Silverstone 2020? Honestly, not much. Hamilton was flying as usual, dominating race after race. Mercedes fans were in cosmic bliss, while the rest seemed like lambs to the slaughter—until Hamilton’s tyre decided to call it quits!
The tyre drama unfolded about a third of the way through Hamilton’s final lap, leaving him with around 3.8 km of track to conquer. The six-time champion, facing a front-left tyre that was fast becoming mere shreds, managed to lose only 23 seconds from his previous lap.
To put things into perspective, consider the Copse corner—the same turn that caused the massive crash in 2021 between the titans of Red Bull and Mercedes. That corner has an average apex speed of 250 kph, a turn drivers aim to take flat out. Now, here’s the kicker: Hamilton tackled it at 140 kph compared to his usual 250 kph.
That’s a difference of 110 kph. Tortoise speeds, yes, but who was the hare? Max Verstappen. The 23-year-old was not going to let this opportunity slide. He charged ahead, closing the gap from nearly 28 seconds to just 5.8 seconds. Red Bull wasn’t at its best in 2020, plagued with problems. Failing to catch up to perhaps the biggest handicap in that year’s racing wasn’t well received.
A first for Formula One? No! This is Formula One, where tales of triumph and tribulation are a staple. And the best part? We’ll never tire of such stories.
