Tearful first radio message for Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes after Silverstone joy

Lewis Hamilton was emotional in his first words via team radio after winning the F1 British Grand Prix.

Hamilton won for the ninth time at Silverstone, in his final home race with Mercedes before heading for Ferrari next year.

Moments after crossing the finishing line, his emotion was obvious.

Hamilton was met with a delirious radio message from his team: “Get in there, Lewis! You’re the man, you’re the man! Oh mate, I have been waiting for this…”

Hamilton responded, fighting back tears: “Thank you so much, guys. It means a lot. A lot to get this one. A big thanks to the fans here, I love you guys.”

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said to Hamilton: “We will prevail. We never give up.

“What a sign-off for our joint-trajectory here at the British Grand Prix. We couldn’t wish for anything better.”

Peter Bonnington, Hamilton’s race engineer, said to him: “It means a lot to us all.”

Hamilton said: “I love you Bono.”

Hamilton was still fending off tears when interviewed by ex-teammate Jenson Button in parc farme.

Hamilton said to Button: "Since 2021, everyday getting up to fight, to train, to put my mind to the task to work as hard as I can with this amazing team.

"This is my last race here at the British Grand Prix with this team. I wanted to win it for them because I love them, I appreciate them.

"All the work they've put in over these years, I am forever grateful to everyone in this team. And the incredible fans, I could see you lap-by-lap.

"You've got to dig deep even when you feel like you're at the bottom of the barrel."

Wolff was captured with a beaming smile at the pit wall to greet Hamilton’s first F1 victory since 2021.

He told Sky Sports as he walked through the pits: “I kind of felt that it would come, like a fairytale, here at Silverstone.

“The British Grand Prix, the last one for Mercedes and Lewis, it’s fantastic.”

Hamilton needed to keep Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at an arm’s length to cling onto victory.

“He was closing down for a while, pretty quickly,” Wolff said about Verstappen.

“There was Lando Norris in between, which was advantageous.”

Hamilton waved the Union Jack to a joyful Silverstone crowd after sensationally winning.