Johansson: What links Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen

The relief was written all over Lewis Hamilton’s face as he beamed from the top step of the podium after the Barcelona Grand Prix. The seven-time champion had achieved what he had been unable to do for so long – he celebrated his first Grand Prix victory with Ferrari, having had to make do with a sprint victory in China the previous year, in his first season with the team.

The 106th Grand Prix triumph for the record-holding winner of the premier class came about in a very specific way, says Stefan Johansson. The former Grand Prix driver, who made a total of 79 Grand Prix starts between 1980 and 1991 and secured twelve podium finishes, said during the expert panel discussion on ‘Formula1.com’: “I think the win in Barcelona was a classic Hamilton triumph.”

“He already had a feeling he’d win during practice; he knew he might be able to do it. He’d worked out his plan long before the race and then simply executed it perfectly – and that was precisely the decisive factor in his success,” the Swede explained.

The mark of a champion

“To be honest, I don’t think many drivers would have won this race under these circumstances, but he knew exactly what he had to do and put it into practice,” the 69-year-old is certain. This reminds Johansson of another exceptional talent in the field: “That’s the hallmark of a champion. These are the people who can seize a two per cent chance and make something of it. Just like Max Verstappen.”

Hamilton went into the summer break in second place in the World Championship, 50 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli of the Mercedes team. Verstappen has yet to secure a Grand Prix victory this year. The Red Bull Racing star has finished on the podium four times and currently sits sixth in the drivers’ standings. His deficit is significantly greater at 110 championship points.

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