Hamilton praises Ross Brawnposted in F111 | 10 | 2015
WORLD CHAMPION-ELECT, Lewis Hamilton, paid tribute to Ross Brawn after Mercedes won its second successive Formula 1 constructors' championship.
Mercedes sealed the title after stewards handed Kimi Raikkonen a 30-second time penalty post-race for colliding with Valtteri Bottas on the final lap, dropping the second Ferrari from fifth to eighth.
And by the time the verdict was made, 1hr 50mins after the chequered flag had fallen in Socih, marking Hamilton's 42nd grand prix win of his career, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and non-executive chairman Niki Lauda had already left the circuit.
Hamilton though, still beaming following his his in the Russian Grand Prix, was quick to emphasise that former team principal Brawn not far from his thoughts. It was Brawn and Lauda who sold Mercedes' vision to Hamilton in 2012.
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"When I spoke with Ross a few years ago, I never envisaged we would win back-to-back titles," Hamilton explained. "I remember sitting with Ross and I got such a good feeling when he told me the plans.
"I need to make sure I message him because still today, while we are succeeding, Ross is still a part of it.
"I really didn't know we'd be as dominant this year either as we were last year.
"Naturally when the rules are similar it should be the same, but after being at McLaren and seeing how it went from one year to the next, it just shows anything can happen in the sport.
"I felt the guys would do a good job, I just didn't know it was going to be as this good. They've done an even better job this year than they did last year, which is just — and I continue to say this — phenomenal."
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Jim McGill