Tyre issue didn't deflate Hamilton's fighting spirit

SEPANG: Lewis Hamilton's tyre strategy during the rain-soaked Bahrain Grand Prix didn't yield the expected results, yet the seven-time world champion remained undeterred. Starting from 18th place, Hamilton fought his way to third position, navigating the unpredictable weather conditions. The race began with a delay due to rain, prompting Hamilton to choose slick tyres over intermediates.

However, this choice hindered his car's pace, leading his team to request a tyre change. Despite the team's urge to retire, Hamilton elected to continue racing as the track dried. Reflecting on the decision, Hamilton expressed disappointment, stating, "As a team, we ended up taking that soft (tyre) and at the end of the pit lane, these two (Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli) took off their (tyre) blankets and my heart just sank, because I knew straight away that we were in trouble."

Nevertheless, Hamilton persevered, acknowledging, "We made the decision to live with it. As everyone was overtaking me, they (Ferrari) said, 'Should we stop?' I said, 'No, we've already waited another 26 seconds. What's the difference.'" Ultimately, Hamilton's resilience paid off as he secured a podium finish, expressing gratitude for the team's strategic pit stops and a car that performed well once the track dried.