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The Truth About Lewis Hamilton's Near Race-Ending First Lap
By KYLE ENCINA
As the driver with the most wins in Formula One history, Lewis Hamilton has a reputation for success, but he suffered a near race-ending first lap at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix. The British racer finished well outside the winner’s circle after a momentary collision with Haas F1 Team racer Kevin Magnussen in the first lap, so why was Hamilton ecstatic in post-interviews?
Forced to make a pit stop after his unfortunate contact with Magnussen, Hamilton was ready to throw in the towel, but his team insisted he stay in the race and told him he could still take eighth place. Hamilton continued racing at an impressive pace and took fifth place — exceeding even his team's estimations.
Miraculously, Hamilton was almost set to take fourth place — an even more impressive feat — but his team told him to drive “at half throttle” to avoid a “DNF risk.” Regardless, finishing the race in fifth place seemed to have restored Hamilton's confidence, as he told ESPN that he has "no doubt" that Team Mercedes can win in future races.