F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Breaks Silence On Inherited Belgian GP Win - 'Mixed Feelings'

Saajan Jogia | Jul 29, 2024

Oct 22, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport driver Lewis Hamilton (44) of Team Great Britain on podium after the 2023 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who secured victory at the Belgian Grand Prix following George Russell's disqualification, shared his "mixed feelings" on social media. He expressed sympathy for his teammate and voiced disappointment that Mercedes missed out on a potential 1-2 finish at Spa-Francorchamps.

Russell was the first to cross the finish line after pulling off a brave one-stop strategy. He managed to lead the second half of the race and kept Hamilton at bay, despite the seven-time world champion running the W15 on fresher tires.

Unfortunately, Russell was disqualified after being declared the race winner because the FIA's post-race checks on his W15 revealed that his car was underweight by 1.5 kilograms, and didn't meet the minimum weight requirement of 798 kilograms.

Mercedes attributed the weight loss to tire wear from an extended stint and the absence of a safety car. The Brackley outfit has promised to investigate the issue thoroughly, while Hamilton, who was elevated to the first position, took to Instagram to share his thoughts and feelings on the matter. He wrote in the post:

"Mixed feelings for today’s result. Obviously happy to get the win but I feel for George and it’s disappointing for the team not to get the 1-2.

"A lot of positives to take from today, though. At the start of the weekend, we didn’t expect to be at the front or the pace we had, so it’s great to see just how much progress has been made and that we are in the fight. We take all these positives with us into the break and will come back a stronger team ready to keep the momentum going."

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A post shared by Lewis Hamilton (@lewishamilton)

Hamilton celebrated his fifth win at Spa and a record 105th win of his Formula 1 career. Along with his post, he also shared an Instagram story, emphasizing his sympathy for Russell and expressing regret over the missed opportunity for a well-deserved 1-2 finish for Mercedes. He wrote:

"Great drive today @georgerussell63, really am gutted for you and the team losing the win and also our 1-2 which the team deserved. Let's keep pushing, work towards another 1-2 in the second half."

Lewis Hamilton's Instagram Story About George Russell /