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Hamilton: I wasn't sure my 100th win would come!

A late tyre change proved the difference in Sochi as Lewis Hamilton became the first F1 driver to reach 100 victories.

Lewis Hamilton didn't think his 100th race win would come at the Russian Grand Prix, however the Mercedes driver credited his team for the late strategy call that ultimately helped him take the chequered flag. Hamilton looked set for P2 behind Lando Norris before the race was turned on its head due to rain. While the McLaren driver opted to stay out, Mercedes brought Hamilton in for Intermediate tyres, a move that decided the race. "It's taken a long time to get to 100 and I wasn't even sure whether or not it would come," Hamilton said after the race. "Lando did such an amazing job, he had incredible pace. He's doing such a great job for McLaren, and it was very bittersweet to see my old team ahead. They've been doing so well, they won the last race, so they're doing fantastic, powered by Mercedes. "Obviously the team made a great call right at the end. I didn't want to let Lando go, and of course I didn't know what the weather was doing. "I'm incredibly, incredibly grateful to all these men and women that are here and back in the factory, because, wow, 100!" Hamilton's win comes after a difficult Saturday as he collided with the pit wall and then spun out in qualifying. After the setback, he said he was determined to make up for it. "Going to bed last night, I obviously wasn't the happiest with the job that I did yesterday," he commented. "I watched the replay over and over again and there were subtle mistakes, but just not ideal. I was so determined when I came in and woke up this morning. I was determined to do the best job I could." Hamilton now tops the standings again, two points clear of Red Bull rival Max Verstappen, who recovered from the back of the grid to finish second. "Obviously Max must have done a really great job to come up to second from last," said Hamilton. "We've got our work cut out!"

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