MONTREAL, Canada – Lewis Hamilton admitted he enjoyed a 'stroll in the park' and had time to reflect on memories of earlier successes as he raced to victory for Mercedes in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.
The three-time champion cruised home around 20 seconds ahead of his team-mate Valtteri Bottas as the Mercedes team bounced back from their desultory showing at last month's Monaco Grand Prix with their first one-two this year.
"I feel so relaxed now," said the Briton. "It's been an amazing weekend for me and I feel very grateful now that the day is done. I actually feel like jumping in the lake!
"You always need weekends like this and for me there was a lot of time to think, when I was up front, reliving memories from 2007 and several other years here.
"I was really able to enjoy the moment and the car and the crowd, the weather was fantastic, even if it was a bit gusty and you still had to concentrate – it was a challenge and it was well-managed.
"Montreal has been so good to me all these years. It is like a go-kart track and so it takes me back to my roots."
Hamilton's third win of the season, his sixth in Montreal and the 56th of his career, helped him reduce championship leader Sebastian Vettel's advantage to 12 points.
"I had my first pole here, I had my first win here 10 years ago – so to repeat it this weekend is incredibly special," added Hamilton.
German Vettel finished fourth after his Ferrari suffered a damaged front wing in a collision on the opening lap when he was passed by the aggressive Dutch teenager Max Verstappen of Red Bull.
Four-time champion Vettel now has 141 points, Hamilton has 129 and Finn Bottas 93.
Verstappen, who rose from fifth to second at the start, had to retire after 11 laps with electrical problems. His Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo finished third.
Couldn't have asked for a better weekend! 🇨🇦 So grateful. Thank you @MercedesAMGF1, couldn't have done it without you and thank you #TeamLH! pic.twitter.com/szVTsXbtRA
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) June 11, 2017