It's true that he couldn't win the British GP and start from scratch in 2022, but Lewis Hamilton had the fastest lap at Silverstone
Victory could have come, but it didn't. Still, Lewis Hamilton has to leave very satisfied from the epic Formula One 2022 British Grand Prix, held last Sunday (3). Besides Mercedes showing good pace, the seven-time champion - who finally led this season and, for a moment, looked like he was going to win - got an extra point for the fastest lap of the race.
In the 52nd lap of the race - yes, the last one - on soft tires, the seven-time world champion set a lap of 1min30s510. Winner at Silverstone, Carlos Sainz set the second best time, with 1min30s813 - done on the 44th lap.
Completing the 'podium' of fastest laps - which was the same as the race itself, but in a different order - is Sergio Pérez, second place in England: 1min30s937. The Czech driver's mark was set in the 47th lap.
It is worth remembering that, after the safety-car was triggered in the final stretch of the race, after Esteban Ocon's Alpine broke down, all drivers - except Charles Leclerc - went to the pits for one last run on track, with red stripe compounds. So the best laps were left for the end of the stage.
After the top-3, the order of forces in the list of fastest laps was the same as in the race: Leclerc, Fernando Alonso, and Lando Norris in 4th, 5th, and 6th, respectively. Mick Schumacher appears in 7th. Current world champion and season leader Max Verstappen is eighth, with a best time of 1min32s354.
The Dutchman ran over debris shortly after overtaking Carlos Sainz for the race lead, which compromised and damaged the floor of his RB18. From then on, Verstappen lost performance and could do nothing to compete at the front of the race at Silverstone.
The 2022 Formula One season returns next week in Spielberg for the Austrian GP on July 8-10.
F1 2022, British GP, Silverstone, Fastest laps:
1L HAMILTONMercedes1:30.510522C SAINZFerrari1:30.813+0.303443S PÉREZRed Bull1:30.937+0.427474C LECLERCFerrari1:31.282+0.772525F ALONSOAlpine1:31.609+1.099476L NORRISMcLaren Mercedes1:31.645+1.135477M SCHUMACHERHaas Ferrari1:32.109+1.599488M VERSTAPPENRed Bull1:32.354+1.844459L STROLLAston Martin Mercedes1:32.379+1.8695210S VETTELAston Martin Mercedes1:32.471+1.9615211D RICCIARDOMcLaren Mercedes1:32.644+2.1343412K MAGNUSSENHaas Ferrari1:32.661+2.1515213N LATIFIWilliams Mercedes1:33.286+2.7764814E OCONAlpine1:33.537+3.0273715Y TSUNODAAlphaTauri Honda1:33.832+3.3225116P GASLYAlphaTauri Honda1:34.614+4.1041817V BOTTASAlfa Romeo Ferrari1:35.103+4.59319