Hamilton didn't expect the podium at Spa

Lewis Hamilton limited the damage at the Belgian Grand Prix where the driver Mercedes was condemned to a comeback race after his power unit changes forcing him to start from the back of the grid.

The Championship leader took advantage of the racing incidents and made numerous overtakes to climb to the last step of the Spa-Francorchamps podium and thus maintains a nine-point lead over the winner Nico Rosberg before the Italian GP played on August 4 in Monza.

“If I had been told I was going to finish third with all these penalties, I would have signed straight away. I really didn't expect it, admitted the Briton. Despite everything, I approached the race with a positive spirit and everything worked out. It was a mountain to climb but we did it together. I think I now have more Power Units than the others and that's a very good thing. »

Lewis Hamilton seemed worried about the return of Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) during his third stop, but the three-time world champion easily regained the advantage over the winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2015.

“I had to attack more than usual to gain positions and the team relied on a three-stop strategy. I thought I would only stop twice and do my final stint on medium tires, but I'm glad we didn't take that risk. Nico seemed disappointed to see me on the podium at the finish and that’s a very good thing! », confirmed the Briton.

Belgian Grand Prix results

Discover the analysis of the Belgian Grand Prix carried out by our special correspondents in issue 2078 of AUTOhebdo, available from Monday evening in digital version on all platforms, and from Wednesday on newsstands.