F1 Spa-Francorchamps - SUN - Race - Lewis Hamilton masters Spa

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, Aug 29, 2010

LEWIS HAMILTON
- MP4-25A-04
- Started: 2nd
- Finished: 1st
- Fastest lap: 1m49.069s, 1st
- Pitstops: Two: on laps 24 and 35 (Opt-Pri-Inter)
- 2010 points: 182 (1st)

�After the DNF in Hungary, this last push in the championship couldn�t have started better for me; this victory was the perfect way to bounce back. Spa is always one of the most challenging races on the calendar, and I�m ecstatic that I�m now able to tick it off and say that I�ve won here.


�At the start, I was able to pace myself and maintain the gap � every time the cars behind increased their pace, I was able to answer. Then, when the conditions changed, I had a wide moment at Turn Eight � and I was on the edge of my seat! Fortunately, I got out of it, took a step back, regained my focus, and took control again. I was so relieved to cross the line at the end of the race � it was an overwhelming feeling!

�I feel really sorry for Jenson, though. He did a great job. I got around Turn One, looked in my mirrors, saw him picking up places, and thought, �That�s good, that�s good.� Then he got up to second, and I thought, �That�s fantastic � another opportunity for a one-two.� Then, cruelly, he was taken out through no fault of his own � which was really unfortunate for him, and for the team, because he did everything he could to get us the most points in the constructors� championship today. But he�ll bounce back even stronger.

�It may sound an obvious thing to say, but I�ll say it anyway: I love racing. It�s in my blood, and I missed it so much during the summer break. So to finally get a win here at Spa � in the trickiest of conditions � is fantastic. I couldn�t have done it without the team though. Without them putting in such a great effort, we wouldn�t be here today.

�It almost feels like this is my first win � it�s just phenomenal!�

JENSON BUTTON
- MP4-25A-03
- Started: 5th
- Finished: Ret � accident damage
- Fastest lap: 1m52.879s (+3.810s) 16th
- Pitstops: -
- 2010 points: 147 (4th)

�It was looking really good this afternoon. I got up to second easily enough, but my left-hand front-wing endplate had been damaged on lap one, which meant I had to dial maximum angle into it, and that made the rear twitchy without giving me any more front.

�As a result, it was pretty tricky to keep the others behind, but I was having a good fight in the wet conditions, and I seemed to be able to find grip better than the other people around me. I was doing a decent job of keeping my position, and doing it fairly.

�Then, as everyone knows, I had an incident with Sebastian [Vettel]. I certainly didn�t brake any earlier than usual. All I know is I suddenly felt a big bang in the sidepod, which ripped the radiator out, and then I lost drive.

�I�ve watched it on TV now, and I�d say it was a very strange incident. Clearly, he didn�t do it on purpose, and I gather he�s now apologised, but I have to say I�ve got no idea what he was doing. It�s a massive blow to my world championship hopes.

�All I can do now is look forward to Monza. I love that track, and I�ll be doing my best to score a lot of points there.�

MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

�There�s no doubt about it: today we saw a truly fantastic race and an utterly brilliant victory.

�Apart from one heart-stopping excursion, Lewis was in command of things from lights to flag, and drove prodigiously well all afternoon � all weekend, in fact.

�From the moment he went out on Friday morning, he was palpably excited about being here at Spa, and it was clear that he always felt confident that a win was on the cards. He really is at the top of his game at the moment.

�He�s back at the head of the drivers� world championship standings too � and, but for Sebastian, we�d be leading the constructors� world championship as well.

�Clearly, had Jenson�s race not been ended by Sebastian�s error, Jenson would have scored a hatful of world championship points � and today is therefore a deeply frustrating day for him. He drove superbly � he�s so good in changeable conditions such as we saw today � but he�s very mature and I know he won�t let this setback get to him.

�Finally, I want to say a big �well done� to everyone at McLaren Racing in Woking and at Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines in Brixworth, without whose relentless efforts we wouldn�t be back where Vodafone McLaren Mercedes belongs: at the front of the field, on the top step of the podium, in rocket-red victory T-shirts, spraying champagne.

�Monza? Bring it on!�



















* Official photos and info courtesy of VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES *

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