British GP: Lewis Hamilton opens up on post-2021 difficulties and Silverstone tears after stunning win | F1 News

British GP: Lewis Hamilton opens up on post-2021 difficulties and Silverstone tears after stunning win | F1 News


An emotional and reflective Lewis Hamilton opened up on what it meant to finally win again in Formula 1 at the British Grand Prix – admitting there had been times since the controversial conclusion to the 2021 season when he had “wanted not to continue” in the sport.

Hamilton was brought to tears at the end of Sunday’s enthralling wet-dry Silverstone race after a stirring and historic drive brought up a record ninth victory at a single Grand Prix.

Although it also represented Hamilton’s record-extending 104th win in F1, it was the 39-year-old’s first for 57 races in a drought that stretched back to the Saudi Arabian GP of December 2021, the race before that season’s infamous finale in Abu Dhabi when he missed out on a unique eighth world title and Max Verstappen won his first.

Hamilton has rarely even been in contention for victories since then with Mercedes falling from the sport’s summit in the wake of new regulations introduced from 2022. The two races that the team had won in that time were claimed by George Russell, most recently last week in Austria.

Having cried on team radio after taking the chequered flag, Hamilton told Sky Sports F1: “It’s surreal. My heart is racing.

“I had so many amazing times here in the past but when I came across the line, something released in me that I have been holding onto for a long time.

Hamilton says his incredible ninth British GP victory is the ‘most emotional’ he has had

“It was the most emotional end to a win I have ever experienced. I always wondered why I never cried! You see Rubens Barrichello crying and I was like ‘that doesn’t happen to me’ but it hit me hard.

“After such a difficult 2021, just trying to continue to come back but we as a team had a difficult time.

“There were so many thoughts and doubts in my mind along the way to the point, at times, I wanted to not continue.

“To arrive and continue to get up and continue to try and finally succeed is the greatest feeling I can remember having.”

Hamilton celebrates his ninth victory at Silverstone with his Mercedes team and the crowd!

Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the race as he took the acclaim of the 164,000-strong race-day crowd, Hamilton said there had been periods during his time away from the podium’s top step when he questioned whether he was both still “good enough” and if he would ever get back to winning ways.

“It’s so tough, I think for anyone, but the important thing is just how you continue to get up and you’ve got to continue to dig deep even when you feel like you’re at the bottom of the barrel,” he said.

Hamilton and his engineer Peter Bonnington celebrate on the podium together following his emotional British GP victory!

“There have definitely been days between 2021 and here where I didn’t feel like I was good enough or I was going to get back to where I am today. But the important thing is I had great people around me, continuing to support me. My team, every tine I turned up and saw them putting in the effort, that really encouraged me to do the same thing.

“Otherwise, my fans, when I see them around the world, they have been so supportive. So a big, big thank you to everybody.”

Hamilton on the ‘glimpse of hope’ that keeps fire burning

Hamilton, who decided at the start of the year he will continue in F1 until at least the end of 2026 by signing an unexpected and blockbuster deal with Ferrari, was given a Union Jack flag from a marshal on his slow-down lap at the end of the race and celebrated with it in front of the Silverstone crowd when he got out of his Mercedes at the end of the race.

He also shared embraces in parc ferme with his mother, Carmen, and his father, Anthony who were both at Silverstone to see their son’s return to success.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates with his mother after winning the British Formula One Grand Prix race at the Silverstone racetrack, Silverstone, England, Sunday, July 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates with his father after winning the British Formula One Grand Prix race at the Silverstone racetrack, Silverstone, England, Sunday, July 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

On the huge support he receives from fans, Hamilton said: “I definitely know for sure that I couldn’t do what I do without the fans I have. The people I interact with and meet around the world, particularly here in the UK.

“I grew up in Stevenage. My dad came around the corner to give me my first helmet.

“I always thought my parents would be my only followers. It’s very incredible to have that support because that really does lift you up when you see people.

“They are so generous with gifting you something or just pumping out positive energy.

Race highlights from Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.

“That’s one thing that keeps me going. And the other is just that glimpse of hope.

“Even if it’s the tiniest spec, I just try to not ignore that and continue to focus on my inner peace day by day.”

Hamilton, who has the motto ‘still I rise’ tattooed on his back, added: “Never give up. It’s so important. It’s the easiest thing to do but you should never do it.”

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India beat South Africa to win T20 World Cup after fine death bowling and Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning catch | Cricket News

India beat South Africa to win T20 World Cup after fine death bowling and Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning catch | Cricket News



India edged South Africa to win their second T20 World Cup title and first since 2007 as an astounding catch from Suryakumar Yadav and excellent death bowling clinched a nerve-shredding seven-run victory in Barbados.

South Africa – playing in their first World Cup final in either T20 or 50-over cricket after winning a semi-final at the eighth attempt against Afghanistan – looked poised to reach their target of 177 when Heinrich Klaasen (52 off 27) took Axar Patel’s 15th over for 24, trimming the requirement to 30 from 30 balls.

However, Jasprit Bumrah (2-18) shipped only six runs combined from the 16th and 18th overs, while Klaasen snicked Hardik Pandya (3-20) behind in between and after the Proteas could muster only four runs off Arshdeep Singh’s 19th, the new ask became 16 off six.

Score summary – South Africa vs India

India 176-7 from 20 overs: Virat Kohli (76 off 59), Axar Patel (47 off 31), Shivam Dube (27 off 16); Keshav Maharaj (2-23), Anrich Nortje (2-26), Kagiso Rabada (1-36)

South Africa 169-8 from 20 overs: Heinrich Klaasen (52 off 27), Quinton de Kock (39 off 31), Tristan Stubbs (31 off 21); Hardik Pandya (3-20), Jasprit Bumrah (2-18), Arshdeep Singh (2-20)

David Miller (21 off 17) then thought he had crunched Hardik’s first-ball full toss for six, only for the twinkle-toed Suryakumar to pull off a spellbinding grab at long-off as he caught the ball, threw it back into play before his momentum took him over the rope, and then pouched it again when he returned to the field – it was a moment as breath-taking as it was important.

South Africa managed only eight further runs as they ended on 169-8 and India became the first team in the history of the Men’s T20 World Cup to go through a whole tournament unbeaten, dashing the Proteas’ hopes of claiming that achievement for themselves.

In the last over of the T20 World Cup final, India’s Suryakumar Yadav produced a stunning, juggling catch on the boundary to dismiss South Africa’s David Miller

India had last won a global ICC event at the 2013 Champions Trophy, with their previous World Cup success the 2011 50-over edition on home turf.

This T20 triumph for India comes seven months after they lost the 50-over World Cup final to Australia in Ahmedabad – their only defeat in that competition. History would not repeat itself.

Watch the moment India were crowned T20 World Cup champions after beating South Africa in Barbados.

Kohli back in the runs in thrilling World Cup final

Earlier, Player of the Match Virat Kohli (76 off 59 balls) – who has now confirmed his retirement from T20 internationals -ended a slump in form, which had seen him average less than 11 in the tournament with 75 runs in seven innings and a best of 37, by underpinning India’s total of 176-7 after his side had sunk to 34-3 inside five overs.

Rohit Sharma’s men were on the back foot as the skipper (9) and Rishabh Pant (0) both fell sweeping Keshav Maharaj in the second over, with their plight worsening when Suryakumar (3) holed out off Kagiso Rabada three overs later.

In his final T20 international before retiring from the format, Virat Kohli returned to form with 76 from 59 balls

But Kohli, who had struck three boundaries in Marco Jansen’s 15-run first over before reining himself in, found a fine ally in the enterprising Axar (47 off 31), with the latter dominating a fourth-wicket stand of 72 from 54 balls before he was brilliantly run out by Quinton de Kock.

Kohli also stitched a half-century alliance with Shivam Dube (27 off 16) as he notched a 38th T20 international fifty from 38 balls prior to being caught at deep midwicket off Jansen in the penultimate over.

India looted the highest score in a Men’s T20 World Cup final, eclipsing the 173-2 Australia posted against New Zealand in the 2021 final in the UAE, but Maharaj (2-23) and Anrich Nortje (2-26) limited their opponents to a gettable score.

Watch Quinton de Kock hit this huge six out of the Kensington Oval during the T20 World Cup final

It looked out of South Africa’s reach as the Proteas plummeted to 12-2 with Reeza Hendricks (4) bowled by a gorgeous out-swinger from Bumrah and captain Aiden Markram (4) edging Arshdeep behind on the drive.

De Kock (39 off 31) and Tristan Stubbs (31 off 21) rallied the first-time finalists with a quick-fire 58, with the sixes they smoked including one from De Kock off Kuldeep Yadav that went out the ground.

Stubbs was bowled around his legs by Axar but De Kock and Klaasen then added 36 off 23 deliveries and when De Kock was pouched at deep fine leg – straight after hitting a four in that area – Klaasen and Miller pounded boundaries, with Klaasen hammering three in a row off Axar to make South Africa favourites.

However, Bumrah’s frugal two-over spell, which also included castling Jansen, dragged India back into the game and his efforts came in a successful cause as Suryakumar’s scarcely believable catch went a long way to breaking South Africa’s hearts in Bridgetown.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram admit losing the T20 World Cup final to India in the last over will take some time to recover from

What’s next?

The next global event in men’s cricket is the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February and March, at which the host nation will be joined by India, South Africa, England, Australia, New Zealand, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

Another T20 World Cup will then be held in India and Bangladesh in early 2026.

Bangladesh will also host the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, with that competition beginning in Dhaka on Thursday October 3 and concluding in the same city on Sunday October 20.

The top two teams in each first-round group will qualify for the semi-finals.

Women’s T20 World Cup groups

  • Group A: Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
  • Group B: South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Scotland

Every match from the Women’s T20 World Cup will be live on Sky Sports, with England vs South Africa the opening game on Thursday October 3 (10am start UK and Ireland time).

India beat South Africa to win T20 World World Cup after Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning catch | Cricket News

India beat South Africa to win T20 World World Cup after Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning catch | Cricket News



India edged South Africa to win their second T20 World Cup title and first since 2007 as an astounding catch from Suryakumar Yadav and excellent death bowling clinched a seven-run win in Barbados.

South Africa – playing in their first World Cup final in either T20 or 50-over cricket after winning a semi-final at the eighth attempt against Afghanistan earlier this week – looked poised to reach their target of 177 when Heinrich Klaasen (52 off 27) took Axar Patel’s 15th over for 24, trimming the ask to 30 from 30 balls.

However, Bumrah conceded only six runs combined from the 16th and 18th overs, while Klaasen snicked Hardik Pandya behind in between and after the Proteas could muster only four runs off Arshdeep Singh’s 19th, the new requirement became 16 off six.

David Miller then thought he had crunched Hardik’s first-ball full toss for six, only for Suryakumar to pull off a spellbinding grab at long off as he caught the ball, threw it back into play before he tumbled over the rope, and then pouched it again when he returned to the field.

South Africa managed only eight further runs as they ended on 169-8 and India became the first team in the history of the Men’s T20 World Cup to go through a tournament unbeaten, dashing the Proteas’ hopes of claiming that achievement for themselves.

More to follow.