Caribbean Roots Hamilton Secures Emotional Victory at British Grand Prix

News Americas, New York, NY, July 8, 2024: British racing driver Lewis Hamilton, whose roots trace back to the Caribbean, clinched a dramatic win at the wet-dry British Grand Prix, marking his first victory since December 2021.

Caribbean roots Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 is reacting after being sprayed with Champagne during the Formula 1 Qatar Airways British Grand Prix at the Silverstone Circuit in Towcester, England, on July 5, 2024. (Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The race saw Hamilton triumph in a gripping battle against Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, securing his 104th career win and a record-breaking ninth victory at Silverstone.

Hamilton, whose father is of Grenadian descent, managed to fend off Verstappen’s late surge, despite the Red Bull driver’s strong performance in the closing laps, to take second place. Norris completed the podium, finishing third.

This race was particularly poignant for Hamilton, who was driving his final British Grand Prix for Mercedes before moving to Ferrari next year. Overcome with emotion, Hamilton told his team, “This means so much to me,” as they celebrated the victory over the radio.

Mercedes engineer Peter Bonnington echoed the sentiment, saying, “This one means a lot to us all,” to which Hamilton replied, “I love you, Bono.”

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described the win as “a fairytale” for both Hamilton and the team.

Oscar Piastri, Norris’ teammate, finished fourth, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz rounding out the top five in a thrilling race at Silverstone.