Hamilton 'like a shark that smelled blood' in British GP - Webber

Lewis Hamilton has been described as like "a shark in the ocean" that "smelled blood" en route to ending two and a half years of hurt with his British Grand Prix victory.

There was barely a dry eye in the house when Hamilton took the chequered flag at Silverstone for his 104th F1 victory but his first since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and for 946 days.

Hamilton delivered a superb drive in changeable conditions, notably doing enough in the final stint on soft tyres to remain ahead of Red Bull rival Max Verstappen who had opted for the hard Pirellis when they both pitted for the final time with 15 laps remaining.

"It was beast mode - home turf," said nine-time grand prix winner Webber on Channel 4. "I think it was the back of the first stint when they're talking about rain coming, this is him smelling blood at that point. That's like a shark in the ocean.

"[This is Hamilton thinking] I've got opportunities here. I'm going to put pressure on everyone around me. I've got so much experience. I've got so much beautiful archive of success here.

"He grabbed that race by the scruff of the neck, the key decisions, he drove the team. This is what I want. This is when I want it, and I'm going to deliver. So cool heads.

"I'm a big Lewis fan. I know I said he's on the fringe of results but [I questioned] 'Where's that motivation? Where's that mojo? But you give him a flash of something like we saw, then stand back."

Hamilton like Nadal with 'micro doubts'

It was a victory a long time in coming, one that meant so much to Hamilton given his tears over the radio, and again in the arms of his father Anthony.

That outpouring of emotion highlighted to former Red Bull driver Webber the desire and hunger that resides in the 40-year-old to still want to achieve and be successful.

"For a man of his calibre, that [win] is obviously massive," said Webber. "And also for an individual like him, when you've got a trophy cabinet like his, with over 100 wins, but he still has that paranoid perfection, those micro doubts that people like Rafa Nadal talk about, [asking themselves] 'Can I still do this?'

"Because the bar is so high anyway, when he lifts, just watch out. That is one of the biggest moments of his life. It could be his last win, but from when the lights went out, he was on the case and got the job done."