Lewis Hamilton takes the first victory of his Mercedes career

Lewis Hamilton’s move to Mercedes stopped looking like a gamble at the Hungaroring. His first victory for the team combined pole position, tyre management and two forceful passes on Mark Webber, providing the earliest clear evidence of what the partnership might become.

Hamilton had left McLaren at the end of 2012 after spending his entire Formula 1 career within the organisation. McLaren had supported him through the junior categories, promoted him to Formula 1 and supplied the car with which he won the 2008 world championship.

Mercedes offered a works-team project with greater long-term control but a much shorter record of modern success. Since returning as a constructor in 2010, it had won only the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix with Nico Rosberg. Hamilton’s decision was therefore treated by some observers as a move away from an established winner towards an uncertain rebuilding programme.

The first half of 2013 produced encouraging speed. Mercedes qualified well and Rosberg won in Monaco and Britain, but the W04 could be hard on its rear tyres during races. The expected heat in Hungary appeared likely to expose that weakness.

A pole Mercedes did not expect

Hamilton took pole by 0.038 seconds from championship leader Sebastian Vettel. Romain Grosjean qualified third for Lotus, while Rosberg started fourth in the second Mercedes.

Hamilton held the lead at the start and immediately began managing the gap to Vettel. Mercedes brought him in early for his first tyre change, placing him behind cars running longer opening stints.

The critical detail was how quickly Hamilton cleared the traffic. He passed Jenson Button rather than allowing the McLaren to delay him, then caught Webber, whose Red Bull was running a different strategy. Hamilton attacked decisively into Turn 1 and regained the effective lead.

Vettel was less successful in traffic. He spent valuable laps behind Button and made contact with the McLaren while attempting to pass, damaging part of his front wing. The delay gave Hamilton room to control the next phase.

Webber must be passed twice

Webber’s long stints repeatedly returned him to Hamilton’s path. After another pit-stop cycle, Hamilton again found the Red Bull ahead and again completed the pass at Turn 1. The moves ensured that Mercedes’ strategy did not depend on Webber making his own stop before Vettel closed the gap.

Kimi Räikkönen emerged as Hamilton’s closest challenger through a long final stint. The Lotus driver used a two-stop strategy and defended second place from Vettel during the closing laps, but neither could reach the Mercedes.

Hamilton completed the 70 laps 10.938 seconds ahead of Räikkönen. Vettel finished third, followed by Webber and Fernando Alonso. Rosberg retired near the end with an engine failure, leaving Hamilton to deliver Mercedes’ result alone.

The victory was Hamilton’s first since the 2012 United States Grand Prix and the 22nd of his Formula 1 career. More importantly, it was his first for Mercedes, arriving ten races after the partnership began.

The first of 84

The result did not transform Mercedes into an immediate championship favourite. Vettel and Red Bull dominated the second half of 2013, while Hamilton finished fourth in the standings. The structural value of the move became visible the following season, when the introduction of hybrid power units placed Mercedes at the front.

Hamilton ultimately won 84 Grands Prix for the team and six drivers’ championships during their twelve seasons together. Those achievements were still beyond reasonable prediction in July 2013.

Hungary provided the first working outline. Mercedes supplied the qualifying speed, strategy and development platform. Hamilton supplied the race management and the overtakes needed when the pit sequence placed another car in his way.

The partnership’s first victory was not delivered by a dominant machine. Hamilton had to make it happen twice at Turn 1.