Lewis Hamilton is regarded by many as the greatest F1 driver. Image: X
Opinion: Was it the car or is Lewis Hamilton truly F1’s greatest driver?
Lewis Hamilton became a household name the minute he got his hands on a Formula One car and has won seven titles and 103 races.
Lewis Hamilton is regarded by many as the greatest F1 driver. Image: X
When you talk about the modern era of Formula One, Lewis Hamilton is the first name that comes to mind.
At 39 years old, he is undoubtedly the most successful F1 driver in history. Hamilton holds numerous records in the sport, including the most wins and poles. However, as in all racing, wins alone do not paint a clear picture of a driver’s skills.
Hamilton made his F1 debut in 2007, just months after Michael Schumacher retired for the first time. He partnered with two-time defending World Champion Fernando Alonso at McLaren for his first season. Despite expectations that Alonso would dominate him and win his third successive title, Hamilton surprised everyone by matching his teammate’s pace and often beating him during qualifying. However, their relationship quickly turned sour, and Alonso decided to leave McLaren at the end of the season after losing the title by one point. Lewis Hamilton led the championship for most of the season but lost the title by a point to Kimi Raikkonen after a rookie mistake in China.
Hamilton’s success continued in 2008 as he won five races and ten podium finishes, including an impressive victory at the British Grand Prix. He won the race by over a minute from second-place Nick Heidfeld, and his drive was widely acclaimed as one of Formula One’s finest wet-weather performances. During the dramatic Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton passed Timo Glock for fifth position to become the youngest F1 champion.
Lewis Hamilton has been the face of F1 for over a decade
After winning the championship, Hamilton struggled for form as McLaren fell down the pecking order. Red Bull emerged as the dominant force in the sport for four years, and Hamilton managed just 11 wins and 27 podiums in 77 races during that period.
In 2014, F1 moved to the use of turbo-hybrid engines, and Hamilton, having joined Mercedes, dominated the sport for seven years, winning six titles with the team.
In 2021, Lewis Hamilton was controversially denied his eighth title after the race director failed to follow the rules. His rival Max Verstappen was crowned champion after passing Hamilton on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi GP.
After seven years of the Hybrid era, F1 moved to the Ground Effect era, and Mercedes struggled to adjust and understand the new regulations fully. Lewis Hamilton finished 6th in the championship that year. The following season, Mercedes again failed to build a competitive car, allowing Red Bull to dominate. Although Hamilton finished 3rd in the championship, he failed to win a race for the second year running.
It’s no secret that no driver can win titles without a dominant car in modern F1. A good driver with a great car can compete for championships and win races, but a great driver with a great car will win titles. Schumacher, Vettel, and Hamilton have proven this in the past, and Verstappen is currently dominating with a dominant car.
What made Lewis Hamilton great? In his first two seasons in F1, he won nine races and earned 22 podiums in 35 races. As a rookie, he dealt with Alonso and also managed to contain Raikkonen until the final two races. It was clear that Hamilton was an outstanding talent, and even without a great car, he battled off Vettel in some races. During his peak, he destroyed Vettel in similar cars for two years to establish himself as a true great of the sport.
In 2021, Lewis Hamilton was almost 30 points behind Verstappen in the final four races but won three to set up a thrilling finale. Although he dominated Verstappen in the final race, a late Safety Car and a controversial call by Michael Masi denied him a record eighth F1 title.
At his peak, Lewis Hamilton was unstoppable in his Mercedes and his 2020 season, saw him break various records while driving the legendary W11 car. With or without a great car, the Brits remain arguably the greatest F1 driver and the best of his generation.
