Lewis Hamilton celebrated one of the greatest performances of his Formula One career to win from 14th in Germany as his championship rival Sebastian Vettel sensationally crashed out.
The British driver is now 17 points clear of Vettel, who was left to rue his costly accident in the closing stages of the dramatic rain-hit race at Hockenheim.
Hamilton had appeared on course to lose further ground to Vettel after his Mercedes broke down in qualifying, but he left the track on Sunday evening firmly in control of the championship.
The question was whether he had done so in an unsafe manner. But after explaining his version of events with team manager Ron Meadows to the officials, the Briton avoided a timed penalty, and was handed only a reprimand to ensure the 66th win of his career would not be chalked off.
“I feel like I drove the best that I can remember,” Hamilton said. “I didn’t make any mistakes.
“I have never had a race like this. I woke up this morning and you always have to have the belief that it is possible.
What a day… ?@MercedesAMGF1 pic.twitter.com/nyo3wVSe5K
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) July 22, 2018
“I prayed as I always do before the race, and my prayers were really answered. It has freaked me out a little bit more than normal, particularly with the biblical storm afterwards.
“Today is just unbelievable.”
Pole-sitter Vettel had been in charge of his home race and should have extended his lead in the standings to as many as 21 points before his stunning, and potentially, title-deciding mistake.
The flashpoint arrived with just 15 laps remaining. Vettel lost control of his car in the slippery conditions at the slower-speed stadium section, skidded across the track and into the gravel, before hitting the tyre wall.
Ironically, it was his seventh high-profile error in a little more than a calendar year.
“F*** sake, f*** sake,” he yelled over the radio. “Sorry, guys. S***.”
Vettel got out of his Ferrari cockpit, and trudged across the gravel, kicking his right foot at the sand in frustration.
German Grand Prix – #Seb5 comments on the race. #GermanGP #ForzaFerrari https://t.co/3lzJiMNOk7
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) July 22, 2018
“It was a huge mistake and it had a huge impact on the race because we retired,” Vettel said. “But it is not like tonight I will have difficulties to fall asleep because of what I have done wrong.
“The conditions were the same for everyone, but I was a tiny bit too late on the brakes.
“We don’t need to analyse what happened. We had the pace, we controlled the race and it ended in the sandpit.”
