Lewis Hamilton reached a historic milestone at the 2024 Hungarian GP last weekend. His P3 finish at the Hungaroring marked his 200th F1 podium. While speaking of the huge tally of silverware earned in the sport over the years, Hamilton revealed that he had to rent out a storage place to keep all his trophies.
Hamilton told the media after the race,
“Oh God. I’m renting a storage place and I pretty much have all the storage in this company so… I might as well buy the company.”
Hamilton’s first podium finish came in his rookie season in 2007. His first win came that year too, after which he won 103 more races over the years.
Plus, with seven World Championships to his name, he has a trophy haul unlike anyone in F1 history.
Hamilton’s 200th podium finish, however, did not come particularly easy. His W15 was not performing in its optimal operation window, owing to the on-track temperatures. Plus, Hamilton had Max Verstappen to contend with as well.
A late-race battle between the two almost spilled into a major collision again. Verstappen braked way too late, locked up, and veered straight into the path of Hamilton, who was defending his position on the outside.
The contact led to Verstappen’s car being launched into the air before it landed on the tarmac with a massive thud. The Red Bull driver felt that Hamilton moved under braking. But the stewards simply labeled it as a racing incident.
Hamilton always expects hostility when it comes to Verstappen
Hamilton believed that no one was at fault in the incident involving himself and Verstappen in Hungary. He saw eye to eye with the stewards on the matter but acknowledged the existing hostility between himself and Verstappen.
Hamilton and Verstappen have had several battles in the past, which is why the former is likely used to it.
Back in 2021, the duo was entangled in an intense title fight that spilled over into crashes and contact on an almost regular basis. The incident at the Hungarian GP was a close replica of their coming together at the 2021 Italian GP – incidentally, also the last time that McLaren had secured a 1-2 in F1.
Hamilton expects there to be hostility when it comes to Verstappen but insists that there is no reason behind the same.
