A day that saw him equal a Formula 1 legend with his seventh driver’s championship, Lewis Hamilton was nothing short of legendary in winning the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday.

Not just surviving, but thriving in some of the most perilous conditions F1 has seen in recent memory, Hamilton was simply on another planet in a victory that saw him finish 31.633 seconds ahead of second-placed Sergio Perez despite starting sixth on the grid.

And while under normal circumstances such a margin could be explained by the dominance of the Mercedes under him, Hamilton’s car this weekend has been anything-but due to the low-grip nature of the Istanbul Circuit – as exemplified by his teammate Valtteri Bottas finishing in 14th – proving what a difference the Briton himself can make.

In what was a masterful display of wet-weather driving and tyre management, Hamilton survived 53 laps on a set of intermediates that were completely slick down the middle by the end, all the while finding pace while most around him opted for additional sets and still couldn’t manage to match him.

“I’m definitely a bit lost for words,” he admitted in his post-race interview. “I have to start by saying a huge thank you to all our guys here, and back at both our factories. I wouldn’t be able to be here if I didn’t join this team and the journey we’ve been on has been monumental. I’m so proud.

“And I’ve got to say thank you to my family. We dreamed of this when we were young, watching the Grand Prix, and this is way, way beyong our dreams. It’s so important for kids – dream the impossible. You’ve got to work for it, chase it, and never give up or doubt yourself.

“I thought the race was falling through my fingers but I kept believing and thought I’d pick up pace at some stage – and that’s what I did.”