Montmeló (Spain) (AFP)

We will not repeat it twice: after conceding victory to Max Verstappen last week at Silverstone, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), author of one of his "best races", flew over the Spanish Grand Prix of F1 Sunday.

For the Briton, it is the fourth victory in six GPs this season, which puts him 37 points ahead of the World Championship lead over Verstappen and 43 over his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas. For the Silver Arrows, this is the fifth triumph, synonymous with 86 steps ahead of Red Bull.

Starting from pole position and never worried, except by a piece of a fin from an opponent who fell in his way, Hamilton was accompanied on the podium by Verstappen and Bottas, the Dutchman from Red Bull having overtaken the Finn at the start.

"I'm in a bit of a daze, but it's really good," said the six-time world champion, who beats the podium record for Michael Schumacher (156 against 155). "So focused", he hadn't seen the last lap coming and was still hovering in a press conference 45 minutes after the finish.

This result "is a real surprise because we had this problem with the tires", which deteriorated too quickly because of the hot weather last week, during the GP for the 70th anniversary of F1, he admitted. But this time, he was "very successful in making them last."

- "Incredible clarity" -

Mercedes has therefore done its homework - not so much by modifying the car but by "understanding it better", according to the person concerned - and neither he nor Bottas were in difficulty with their tires during the Spanish round, despite all the heat. equally important (30 degrees in the air, 50 on the runway).

“We did a lot of research before the race to understand what strategy to adopt and which tires to use,” explains the six-time world champion, but he attributes his 24 seconds lead at the finish line to something else.

“I don't know why but I had an incredible feeling of clarity driving, he says. It was physically tiring but, in order not to make a mistake lap after lap after lap, I was in the zone perfect, the one I dream of being every time (...) Even in traffic, I saved more time than I wasted, which normally does not happen. "

Faced with this, for Verstappen, there was nothing better to do than second. "It's very good to be placed between the two Mercedes once again. Either way, I didn't have the pace of Lewis," conceded the 22-year-old driver, whose change of pace can only be welcomed. style.

Until recently, he would have fought tooth and nail even if it meant ruining his race, but 2020 seems to be the year of maturity for him.

- "Disappointment" -

At Bottas, whose start was "not good enough", it is the "disappointment" that still dominates, despite the point of the best lap pocketed at the end of the race. After winning the first round of the season, the Finn continues to give way in the drivers' standings.

At the foot of the podium, we find the Racing Point of Canadian Lance Stroll and Mexican Sergio Pérez, back after two races of absence following positive tests for the new coronavirus.

Another blow for Ferrari, which did not need it in view of its disappointing level of performance, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc was forced to retire because of an electrical problem: his engine suddenly stopped while passing on a vibrator.

After three races in three weeks, the paddock allows itself ten days of well-deserved rest before meeting at Spa-Francorchamps from August 28 to 30 - still behind closed doors, pandemic obliges - for the first of a new series of three CU in chains.

© 2020 AFP