Hamilton: Forgot It Was Like Leading A Race After Verstappen's Overtake At The Chinese Grand Prix

JAKARTA - Lewis Hamilton, seven times Formula 1 World Champion, said he had forgotten what it would be like to lead a race after the Mercedes racer was in pole position during the first nine laps in a sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix on Saturday, April 20.

After taking the lead from Lando Norris from McLaren at the start, the 39-year-old Briton was finally chased and passed by world champion three times, Max Verstappen.

The Red Bull racer drove one second faster than Hamilton and surpassed Hamilton on the long straight track of the Shanghai International Circuit before finally winning the race.

Mercedes has had a difficult time over the past few years, with Hamilton's last win coming in Saudi Arabia in 2021.

"I forgot how it felt to be up front and it felt good for the moment I had, so I'm grateful for that moment," Hamilton told a news conference. "To be in the front row, I don't remember having had that view for a long time."

Red Bull, who won 21 of last season's 22 races and three of the four early races in the current campaign, looked strong for the main race on Sunday, April 21, where Verstappen took the lead with a 13-second lead over Hamilton towards the finish line.

"Max, I'm not even trying to fight back because he comes with a serious speed advantage," Hamilton said.

However, he added that he had found a lot of things about the car from the sprint race and would make adjustments to the setup before qualifying in the day.

"To be able to fight for the first corner to lead reminds me why I love what I do... and I know we have to work hard enough to get back into a more consistent race like this," added Hamilton, who will join Ferrari for next season.