Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
LEWIS Hamilton, always his own fiercest critic, gave himself a pat on the back on Sunday after delivering one of his most satisfying Formula One wins to his mother as a birthday present.
The Abu Dhabi victory was helped by the abrupt retirement of Red Bull’s double world champion Sebastian Vettel on the first lap but after what the McLaren driver has been through this season, it was as sweet as anything he has tasted.
“When I was doing the lap on the way in, I was thinking that this was definitely one of my best, just in terms of my own performance, not making mistakes,” the 2008 champion said.
To add to the pleasure, Saturday was his mother Carmen’s birthday and she was present – on a rare visit to a racetrack – to watch him win.
Hamilton had not won since Germany in July and, for the first time in his career, he will end a season behind a team mate – but Sunday’s win at least equalled Jenson Button’s tally of three for the year and he could better that in the Brazil finale.
Hamilton even received a good luck hug from His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, above, before one of the qualifying sessions. McLaren are partly-owned by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat.
Wings clipped – Page 23
