Mercedes F1 Director Shovlin Admits to Bold Lewis Hamilton Claim After His Dramatic Win at Interlagos

It was a weekend to remember for Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, as the Brazilian GP was one for the books. Despite everything the weekend threw at the team, they emerged gloriously victorious. Lewis Hamilton labeled it his best weekend ever, and the team chimed in to agree with him.

It has been a while since we’ve seen a weekend so wholly terrific for a driver; for Hamilton, who has had quite a few terrific drives to his name, the weekend in Brazil takes the cake. In the F1 Nation Podcast, Andrew Shovlin, the trackside engineering director at Mercedes F1 poetically explains why he thinks the Brazilian GP was out of the ordinary for the reigning champion.

“I’m wracking my brains trying to think of a better drive of his, and the difficulty with Lewis- when you get questions like this, is there’s quite a few of them that you can remember. But I think, to have done that with a car that doesn’t have the pace advantage over the competition that we’ve had in years gone by; to have done it in the face of adversity where you’re the fastest guy in qualifying, but you’re put right at the back and to see his strength and determination right now is really impressive. So, at this moment, I haven’t thought of a better one.”

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Shovlin’s description of the race couldn’t have been put any better. In a time where the driver has been booed, questioned, and has been reduced to the pace of his car; Lewis Hamilton proved on Sunday that he is a 7-time-world-champion for a reason.

Mercedes is stronger in the face of adversity

It was a moment where Hamilton had to practice what he preached- to be stronger and never back down. It was a moment where the “still I rise” tattooed on his back had to mean something. Hamilton went from getting his first P1 start in seven races to starting the sprint at the back of the grid. Sunday he was pushed five places further. Additionally, he went into Sunday’s race 21 points behind his rival.

He left Brazil narrowing that gap to Max Verstappen to 14. Toto Wolff also strongly stated that the Silver Arrows have thrived under the pressure; Hamilton setting the example for them.

“I think the team has always been together, but these decisions have brought us so close together that it’s against us. And I think this is what Lewis felt all his life and we now feel it together as a team.”

Wolff concluded with a powerful statement. “And we’re going to fight, we’re not going to be victims and that is the emotion we’re feeling in the garage right now.”

Clearly, the Brazilian GP has made the strongest team on the grid stronger. With three rounds of intense battle ahead of them, Mercedes will, without a doubt, withstand whatever is thrown at them; as they always have.

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