“We would have had a lot more wins but for the problems we have had. But this
makes the rest disappear and allows us to move forward and smile.”
Hamilton’s win – his 21st for McLaren but his first since he announced his
intention to quit for Mercedes – reminded everyone of the gamble he is
taking by leaving a team such as McLaren.
But it also served as a stark reminder of what the Woking outfit will be
missing next year.
The worrying form of Sauber’s Sergio Perez, who has failed to score a point in
the six races since he was announced as Hamilton’s replacement for 2013, has
only added to the impression that McLaren will be far poorer for Hamilton’s
absence.
“It’s going to be a tricky seat for Checo to fill,” admitted Jenson Button,
Hamilton’s current team-mate. “I have a feeling he will be competitive, but
of course he doesn’t have the experience and I don’t think he will be
fighting at the front at the start of next season. It is a massive ask.”
Hamilton will hope to magnify McLaren’s sense of loss by winning his final
race for the team in Brazil on Sunday. He has never won before at
Interlagos, despite the track holding fond memories for him as the scene of
his 2008 title triumph. “Regardless of what happens, I am leaving on a
high,” he said.