McLaren has paid tribute to the way in which
Lewis Hamilton kept his head while all around were losing theirs during the rain-hit British Grand Prix at
Silverstone on Sunday.
The Briton bounced back from a tough build-up to the race, capped by a mistake in qualifying that restricted him to fourth on the grid, to claim one of his most convincing victories and throw himself right back into the championship battle. With the exception of second-placed
Nick Heidfeld, just about everyone else in the field succumbed to the treacherous - and ever-changing - conditions, with spins of varying severity creating an unusual look to the results, and setting up a three-way tie at the top of the world championship.
”I can't emphasise enough just how cool and collected Lewis stayed during the race," McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh marvelled, "He was under immense pressure not only to get a result, but also not to make a mistake - in some of the trickiest conditions he has ever driven in. That he managed to do so with such calmness and presence of mind is astounding.
"Over the radio, it sounded as if Lewis was on a quiet Sunday drive. He was relaxed and calm, nothing seemed too difficult for him. After the first stop, we were aware of the situation with Kimi's tyres and duly informed Lewis - and, even before his second stop, we urged him to look after the car and measure his pace as a precaution in the weather conditions.
"We even recommended he ease his pace into the closing laps and he came back on the radio and told us he was already driving as slowly as he could!”
Hamilton's race was not without problems, however, and not long after he had scythed his way past polesitting team-mate
Heikki Kovalainen at Stowe, he began to suffer visibility problems. The Briton could frequently be seen wiping and adjusting his visor on the 200mph run down the Hangar Straight, and Whitmarsh confirmed that there had been concern as to how bad the problem was.
