Questions from the floor:
Q: (Bob McKenzie –
The Daily Express)
Lewis, you mentioned that the last couple of weeks you’ve had troubles. Has that been tough and how much has today justified what you’ve been saying?
Lewis Hamilton:
Yeah, it’s just the last couple of weeks I’ve been flat out, working very hard and just a lot of travelling and many different things, and different emotions going on in my life. We’d obviously had a couple of bad grands prix and coming to my home Grand Prix it would have just been nice to start with a clean slate and then get some points or even a win. I know the country deserves it and the crowd deserves it, and the team does as well. I thought that we would be coming here and that a one-two was possible. I haven’t seen the results as yet, I don’t know what happened, but it’s just been a great weekend for all of us. It’s all been in the right direction, there’s been no negativity, for me it’s just been very, very positive and I get a lot from that and I’m very much thankful. Things happen for a reason. I stay true to my faith, things do happen for a reason and I’m here for a reason, so I’m very thankful.
Q: (Ian Parkes –
The Press Association)
Lewis, many congratulations. Your great hero Ayrton [Senna] was a master in the wet. Did you learn anything from him when you studied all those video tapes or is it just your natural ability to drive in the wet?
LH:
There was not really a lot that I could take from Ayrton. All I knew was that he was spectacular in the wet, and growing up, it was something that I wanted to master as well. I think there was a time he said, or just from the way he drove. He just showed that if you can drive in the wet you can do anything and really the top drivers rise to the top and so along my career, I just worked very, very hard to be sitting here where I am. But it does comer very naturally, I’m very sensitive. I feel very comfortable in the wet, knowing where to push, where not to push, and I think that’s the result today.
Q: (Jon McEvoy –
The Daily Mail)
Lewis, you said that the last few weeks have been hard and that your family have been with you every bit of the way. I was just wondering today what maybe your father or [brother] Nick or whoever it was said to you and how they managed to get your mind right for the race?
LH:
I think my mind’s always been right. I just have had a lot on my plate really. It’s some of personal life… it’s nothing too serious, but it’s just life in general. I want to win, so working very, very hard, making sure there were never any doubts of my abilities. It was just biding my time and keep working hard, keep chopping away and you eventually get there. Just before the race I spoke to my brother, he came to my room and he sat there and I said ‘I just hope I keep it on the track.’ And he said ‘don’t you even worry about that.’ He said ‘you’re the master in the wet.’ I just said ‘thank you for that.’ He’s always there, my whole family, my dad’s always on the grid. He would never miss a race, and he’s been there since day one. We still do the same handshake as we always did from the first race I ever did, and that means a lot to me. Just like family, even for you, I’m sure. Your family is there through thick and thin, and there’s nothing that they won’t stand next to you for.
Q: (Paul Turner –
South Wales Evening Post)
Lewis, you seem to be able to keep your head in those conditions when at least half of the grid are losing theirs. What’s your secret?
LH:
No particular secret, it’s just the way I am. As I said before the race, I managed to get a lot of energy and I was able to control that in the right way and use it when needed. But today was not a physical challenge, it was just mental, just mental. I don’t know how I’ve done it but I did it and that’s the most important thing.
Q: (Takeharu Kusuda –
Lapita Magazine)
Rubens, could you tell us about your feeling in the car when you passed the finishing line?
