Lewis Hamilton hopes winning the seꦚason-opening Bahrain Grand Prix helps 'prove people wrong' after coming under criticism for only winning in the fastest Formula 1 ca🍌r.

Hamilton claimed a remarkable win at the Bahrain International C﷽ircuit on Sunday, fending off a fast-charging Max Verstappen in the closing laps.

One criticism put towards Hamilton and his success in the sport is that he ‘can only win in a dominant Merce🤡desꦰ F1 car’. 

Given Red Bull’s superior pace advanꩲtage in Bahrain, Hamilton showed yet again that he doesn’t need the outright fastest car to claim victories in F1 - as shown in Turkey last year.

Speaking after his 96th career victory, Hamilton🥀 said: “I think today was definitely a blessing in disguise perh🅘aps. I think there’s always opportunities to prove people wrong and I like to think today is definitely one of them. 

“But I think there have been several in the past also, I’ve been here a long time, and I hope there are many opportunities in the future to be able to show what I was able to do today al🐠so. 

“Of course we were fortunate with Max going wide in Turn 4 but that won't happen again I’m pretty sure so we’ve got to do better, be smarter, with how we navigate through the weekends with the fact that we don’t have the fastest at the moment, but that’s all god🎉 for me. I don’t mind having to pull that extra in order to make the difference.”

F1 bos♎s Ro🍰ss Brawn heaped praise on Hamilton in his post-race column, saying his drive in Bahrain was “among the very best of his career.”

“This was a race that featured a host of sensational drives, but Hamilton most deserves this accolade after a scintillating drive tha𝓀t was among the very best of his career.

“He simply drove brilliantly, pacing his tyres really well a𝔉nd posing a quiet threat throughout the race, despite n൲ot having the fastest car in the field.

“There were one or two little 𒉰moments where he faltered u♔nder pressure from Verstappen, but each time he held on remarkably and held firm in mighty impressive fashion.”