Hamilton took his 100th Grand Prix win after taking advantage of a late rain shower in Sochi to beat McLaren’s Lando Norris, switching to intermediates three laps before the race.
Hamilton was initially unsure of the decision as most of the track was dry and was seen walking through the pit entrance and doing another lap after receiving a call from race engineer Pete Bonnington to switch to intermediates.
The decision to finally get in paid off as the rain got heavier, causing Norris to spin and drop to seventh in the final standings after waiting two more laps.
Speaking to Norris on the TV pen after the race, Hamilton said he didn’t want to come because he was so close to the McLaren driver.
“My team was great today,” said Hamilton to Norris. “But I ignored the first call, I thought: ‘No, he’ll be right there!'”
Mercedes-F1 boss Wolff admitted after the race that it was always difficult for the driver to grasp the overall picture, but that the team was aware of the upcoming rain shower.
“I think it’s always very difficult for the driver when half of the track is dry and the other half is a bit damp,” said Wolff.
“We knew the big weather was coming. So Valtteri [Bottas] pitted the lap beforehand, and then our weatherman and the strategists were stubbornly in the pits. “
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, leaves his pits while Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B, pulls in for a stop
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Hamilton recovered from his deficit to seventh place on the first lap and was after the pit stops in P2 behind Norris.
“We were in a way prepared for the tough end, regardless of whether we were able to overtake Lando on the track or not,” said Wolff.
“Then the rain started and things got pretty unpredictable at that stage. I understand why it was so difficult for McLaren to make this decision of staying out or getting in.”
“As a leader you can only lose. We benefited from that today and I think it’s spectacular for the fans.”
Hamilton thought it would have been “difficult” to overtake and overtake Norris if the race had stayed dry after being stuck behind Daniel Ricciardo’s second McLaren for a period.
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Wolff found it “hard to tell” whether Hamilton would have gotten past Norris without the late rain upsetting things.
“Lewis got stuck behind Ricciardo at the start of the race even though Ricciardo had DRS,” said Wolff.
“I think it would have been difficult to overtake. You had a fast car today and he did it well on his part.
“They apparently had a bit of a gasoline problem and then when it got faster it was very fast.”
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