Hamilton ‘fastest driver’ at Silverstone, not in ‘fastest car’

Lewis Hamilton was quick to point out he was the fastest driver rather than he was in the fastest car at Silverstone during an interview ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix.

Hamilton produced the performance of his season so far at his home grand prix as he, for the first time since the finale of 2021, looked as if he could challenge for the win.

That victory was not to be, despite him leading the race at one moment, but he did achieve a podium finish, his first since the opening race in Bahrain.

Toto Wolff went as far as saying the seven-time World Champion would have picked up the victory had it not been for the Safety Car and Hamilton himself believes he was the fastest driver on the day.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1’s pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz, Hamilton was quick to correct the interviewer who said he had been in the fastest car at Silverstone.

As he was wrapping up the interview, Kravitz remarked that Hamilton’s Mercedes was the quickest on Sunday but Hamilton interrupted to say “driver you mean.”

Kravitz agreed and then wished him well for the next race in Austria.

Hamilton also had praise for former race director Charlie Whiting who, before his sudden passing, campaigned to improve safety in the sport including the introduction of the Halo.

“Thank God for the Halo,” Hamilton said, reflecting on Zhou Guanyu’s crash.

“It [credit] goes to Charlie pushing the Halo as he did. That’s saved my life, it’s saved so many drivers’ lives, but we’ve got to do more clearly because if that car was in flames, it would have been a different scenario.”

With a new Covid wave in the UK as well as turmoil in the Prime Minister’s office, Hamilton said he was happy to provide an escape to the Silverstone crowd.

“Firstly the Silverstone