Lewis Hamilton endured an emotional rollercoaster during the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with the Ferrari driver chronicling his evolving feelings after the action-packed race.
Due to start second at the Sepang International Circuit, Hamilton fell to the rear of the field during the delayed, wet formation lap behind the safety car due to a power unit software issue, only for the FIA to reinstate the original grid order for when the race actually got underway after a red flag disruption.
But Ferrari's call to put him on dry tyres was the incorrect decision, and Hamilton again found himself tumbling through the field with the intermediate compound the right way to go.
However, the seven-time F1 drivers' champion kept his head down, encouraged his team to take contrarian strategy calls and scythed through the pack, recovering to a remarkable third after a late safety car.
Reflecting on the eventual afternoon, the British driver detailed his changing feelings from inside the cockpit of his SF-26.
"Big congratulations to Max," Hamilton said after getting out of his Ferrari. "What a tough race that was.
"Obviously, we had the wrong call at the beginning, which was so difficult — and I could see everyone just pulling away.
"I could see on the screen, I was a minute down, and I thought that was race over for us.
"But I just kept my head down. The guys did a great job with the pit stops; obviously, lots of tyre changes, lots of chasing, and honestly, of all the years I've been here, this is the best race we've had here."
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