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McLaren Formula E driver Sam Bird has claimed that Lewis Hamilton's win at Silverstone was a sign that 'Mercedes are back' at the front of the grid. The seven-time world champion won his first race in two-and-a-half years on Sunday in a dramatic fashion, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.
It was Hamilton's first win of the season and Mercedes's second successive after George Russell finished P1 at the Austrian GP a week before the British GP. The German team have been slowly making strides in the 2024 season and are currently the third-fastest team behind McLaren and Red Bull.
While appearing on BBC's Chequered Flag podcast, Bird expressed admiration for Mercedes after Lewis Hamilton's win at Silverstone. He heaped praise on Hamilton for making the right calls at the right moments. Here's what he said (via PlanetF1):
“Mercedes going forward, they’ve just won two races in seven days. They’ve had a brilliant week since Austria. Look, I think George Russell was fortunate to win in Austria, to be honest. He was nailed down for a third place. Lewis Hamilton deserved to win that race today."
"He made the right calls at the right time, and he was quick. He was quick at the right times and right there when it mattered. I think Mercedes, dare I say it and I’ll whisper it, Mercedes are back. They’re most definitely back in the conversation," he added.
Lewis Hamilton previews the rest of the 2024 season for Mercedes
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton stated that the British GP was the first time that the German team won the race on pure pace, as Russell's victory in Spielberg was more down to luck and the collision between Verstappen and Norris.
Speaking in the post-race press conference, the 39-year-old said:
"I think George's win last week was amazing, but it wasn't on pure pace and I think this weekend was the first time we did it on pure pace. Without qualifying on the front row."
"And then after that, even pulling in that first stint, both of us pulling away from everybody else. And then ultimately, I think with the conditions today, the drivers are able to make a bit of a difference," he added.
Mercedes had a strong triple header, securing podium finishes in all three races and victories in two. This has closed the gap to both McLaren (by 74 points, P3) and Ferrari (by 81 points, P2) in the constructors' championship.
However, they still have a significant gap to challenge Red Bull, who sit atop the standings (P1) with 373 points after 12 races and three sprints in the 2024 season so far.
