Hamilton admits he switches 'into a different mode' on Sundays

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Lewis Hamilton delivered two wins and a second-place finish in the last three races in challenging circumstances that have left the Mercedes driver very happy but also a bit surprised.

Hamilton produced an outstanding recovery drive at Silverstone after a first lap contact with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen left the Brit dead last.

At Hockenheim, a low midfield start also put him on the back foot but he managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat after arch-rival Sebastian Vettel's race-ending mistake.

Finally, Hamilton put another one over his Ferrari rival last weekend at the Hungaroring, a track that on paper should have favored the Scuderia and left Mercedes in damage control.

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In summary, results on Sunday have exceed expectations lately, and Hungary was no exception.

"For some reason I guess I switch into a different mode on Sunday," said the current leader of the world championship.

"It was definitely a bit of a surprise," said Hamilton, who revealed that a big setting change after last Friday's practice greatly improved the race pace of his W09.
"I'm really proud of all the team for keeping up the pace even though these guys turned up the heat the last few races.

"To come away with two wins is a testament to the strength in depth of our team."

Hamilton insisted however that the Silver Arrows needed to improve its performance in qualifying, convinced that pole in Hungary would have been out of reach for Mercedes if the session had been bone dry.

"For some reason the race is really our main strength," he said.

"The current work and focus is making sure we improve in qualifying. We've had five poles out of 12 races, which is good but could be better.

"That's where we need to hit it with these guys because I think in the race we can generally hold our own."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.