Hamilton felt "in a daze" on way to dominant victory
Lewis Hamilton felt he was "in a daze" during his crushing Spanish Grand Prix victory on Sunday that extended his lead at the top of the Formula 1 drivers' championship.

Hamilton led every lap of the race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, crossing the line more than 20 seconds clear of Red Bull's Max Verstappen in second place.
The result saw Hamilton extend his championship lead to 37 points over Verstappen, and become the all-time record holder for the most podium finishes in F1 with 156.
Coming just one week after Mercedes lost to Red Bull following tyre management struggles at Silverstone, Hamilton felt the win was a surprise, and revealed he was not aware he was on the final lap of the race.
"I was just in a daze out there. I was in a different [zone], I felt really good," Hamilton said. "Fantastic effort from the team, but God, it felt good out there today.
"It was a real surprise, because we had this problem with the tyres. Management was very, very good.
"That's ultimately our understanding of what happened last week, that we brought into this weekend, has inevitably enabled us to do what we did today.
"I didn't even know it was the last lap at the end. That's how zoned in I was. I was ready to keep going."
Mercedes had feared a repeat of its Silverstone tyre struggles due to the high track temperatures in Spain that reached 50ºC during the race.
But Hamilton found he was able to extend the stints longer than he expected, even making him consider a risky one-stop strategy at the end.
He ultimately overruled the team's wish to fit him with the soft compound tyre for the final stint, taking another set of mediums that saw him to the chequered flag.
"It's something I studied very hard before the race, understanding what tyres we were going to be using and what strategy we were going to do," Hamilton said.
"As I came to understand, I could make the tyres last longer than we had planned. I was even looking potentially going for a one-stop, but I think the strategy we have was just right.
"At the end, there was no need to take a risk of going on the soft tyre. I had a fresh, brand new medium tyre that I think was best.
"I just want to say a big, big thank you to all of the guys back at the factory, through this really difficult time, for everyone in the world just to continue on, and keep pushing."
Related video

Previous article
2020 F1 Spanish Grand Prix race results
Next article
2020 F1 World Championship points after Spanish Grand Prix

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Lewis Hamilton |
Author | Luke Smith |
Hamilton felt "in a daze" on way to dominant victory
Trending
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…