Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner accused Lewis Hamilton of being the luckiest man in Belgium following his win at Spa.
Hamilton had led from the first corner through to lap 34 when the rain made a permanent return after it had flirted briefly with the track on the opening lap.
The 25-year-old suggested over the radio to his team it was time to come in to change tyres on his McLaren, only to be told not to jump the gun.
Within seconds, however, Hamilton ran wide at Rivage on a greasy surface that forced him onto the gravel, coming within inches of colliding with a barrier.
In avoiding such a skirmish, Hamilton was able to pit and maintain his lead over Mark Webber over the final few hair-raising laps to claim a third win of the season.
The victory allowed Hamilton to leapfrog Webber in the Drivers' standings, although his cushion is just three points with six grands prix remaining.
Reflecting on Hamilton's good fortune, Horner said: "How lucky was Lewis to drive in and out of the gravel again?
"Sometimes you ride your luck and he's had a bit of that this year."
Hamilton himself had suggested he "got away with it," and that "the Lord definitely had his hand over me there."
Horner was in full agreement, adding: "Definitely. If that barrier had been one metre closer he'd have been sitting watching the rest of the race from there.
"As I say, you have to ride your luck sometimes, but fair play to him he drove a good race."
