I have never thought, Michael Schumacher’s
record of winning will be ever beaten, but since 2014 Mercedes are dominant
force in the F1, they have opposition under control over many years now and due
to current power unit regulations, it is highly unlikely to change in 2021 and
beyond.
Lewis was the winner, as the rookie
Lewis Hamilton won his first Grand Prix in 2007. He crossed the line first in Gilles Villeneuve’s circuit in the city of Montreal. It was chaotic race. Robert Kubica has been taken to hospital after huge crash, thankfully, he recovered quickly and came back to racing. Hamilton has been fighting for the championship since the very beginning, in 2007 he lost the title in China due to his mistake and mistake of his team, McLaren. He was trapped in gravel in pit lane entry, he had no grip. Fans remember that very well, but it has to be said, Lewis has capitalized his opportunity to drive for the top team. At that time, McLaren with Alonso and Hamilton were the top team, although due to interim competition in the team, Ferrari’s Raikkonen clinched the title in the finale in Interlagos, Brazil.
Lewis is the only driver to win in every single season he was on the grid
Lewis Hamilton has been driving for two top teams during his career, McLaren and Mercedes. He won at least one race in every single year and it is great achievement. McLaren were not always top team, they were struggling between 2009 and 2012, Mercedes were not the best team in 2013, but Lewis won at least one race every single season of F1.
2008 – first championship
Lewis clinched the title in Brazil after dramatic and eventful race in Brazil, he took the championship on last lap, on the last sector of the track. Felipe Massa was in tears, but he could not do more. He won the race, but it was not enough to clinch the title due to Lewis’es advantage over him in overall classification of the championship. In 2008 all drivers have made many mistakes. Even Lewis hit Tabac in Monaco, ironically he won the race in the principality. The team took the opportunity to refueled him and he pitted afterwards only once for dry tires, others were in the pitlane one more time. Lewis was unstoppable in Britain, Belgium (he was given the penalty after overtaking Kimi – according to the stewards he took the opportunity by cutting the chicane at the Bus stop), Australia – opener, China and Germany. His competitors, Massa and Kubica were excellent in others tracks, Kubica won in Canada, he was consistent over the entire season until penultimate race in Shanghai. Felipe Massa lost the championship due to his mistakes and his team, Ferrari, failures of the power unit, in Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Canada and Monaco. He was dominant in several occasions, Turkey, Bahrain, Brazil, Valencia, but it was not enough due to inconsistency in other races.
2009-2012 – painful experience in McLaren
Lewis won 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, but McLaren were not in the contention for the championship that year. The car was slow. In 2010 Lewis won races, but like in 2011 and 2012 McLaren were competitive, but inconsistent due to their reliability issues with gearbox and power unit. McLaren were the fastest package in 2012, but both Hamilton and Button were not given the chance to clinch the title due to failures of the car. Lewis left the team. Niki Lauda convinced Lewis to join Mercedes.
2013-2020 – Hamilton wins and despite Nico Rosberg 2016 championship, he is on his way to extend his gap over Michael Schumacher in race wins and number of titles by the end of 2021
Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013. They were not the best, behind the Red Bull team, but they were making progress over the year 2013. Nico won in Monaco and Britain, Lewis in Hungary, although he should have won British Grand Prix, but it wasn’t meant to be due to puncture. People thought in 2013, Lewis made mistake joining Mercedes, they were wrong. They thought, Merc is mid-pack team, McLaren will turn things around and they will start winning once again.
In 2014, Hamilton and Rosberg were fighting for the championship down to the wire in Abu Dhabi, like in 2016. In 2014, Lewis won, Nico in 2016. Mercedes have been dominant since 2014. Hybrid power units fit their team. The current regulations are in favor of the largest manufacturers, like Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda and Renault, however, Merc have all under control since the very beginning due to the superiority of their power unit over the opposition and due to others departments, like chassis, aero and durability.
They are dominant. Any other team hasn’t had such a gap over the opposition over 7 years. It is the key to understand, why did Lewis win 91 times until October 2020 and he will win many more times in future. Lewis is 6 time World Champion, he took 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and he will take 2020 championship equaling Schumacher number of titles, 7.
Lewis is not better driver than Verstappen, Alonso. He is a bit slower than them (Max proven that in 2019 Monaco Grand Prix trying to pass Lewis - Verstappen was more comfortable in wet Monte-Carlo track than Brit, Lewis is not untouchable, like Schumi in early 2000s and despite his experience, Max is able to put him under pressure in much slower car), but due to dominance of his team, he wins
I know people think Lewis wins because he is the best driver. He is close to the best, like Verstappen and Alonso, but he is not making Mercedes winning. Mercedes make Lewis winning. If Perez had driven for Mercedes between 2014 and 2020, he would have won titles. If Verstappen, Alonso, Ricciardo, Vettel, Kubica, Raikkonen had been in dominant team, they would have won. Ferrari built around Schumacher team that made the difference for the driver and Ferrari in late 1990s and early 2000s due to leadership of Michael. Therefore, Schumi’s 91 is not equal to Lewis’es 91.
Therefore, stats are not the best indicator to assess, whether Lewis is the best driver or not. Don’t get me wrong, Lewis is top driver, but he is not better than Alonso, Verstappen and Ricciardo. Car makes the difference, not driver.
However, we have to give Lewis credit – he takes the opportunity he was given. The best are doing so. Lewis is mighty in the wet and in qualifying. He matured due loss of 2016 championship and he is better than ever before. By saying that, I mean, he is consistent since 2017 until now. I’m not his fan, but I respect him since first his race back in Melbourne in 2007, when he finished third in his debut.
Lewis is the best rookie in F1 – his first season was truly exceptional despite not winning the championship, interim fight with Alonso, he faced the challenge and won races as the rookie.
Lewis Hamilton, 2007, McLaren. Credit: Wikipedia
Lewis was the winner, as the rookie
Lewis Hamilton won his first Grand Prix in 2007. He crossed the line first in Gilles Villeneuve’s circuit in the city of Montreal. It was chaotic race. Robert Kubica has been taken to hospital after huge crash, thankfully, he recovered quickly and came back to racing. Hamilton has been fighting for the championship since the very beginning, in 2007 he lost the title in China due to his mistake and mistake of his team, McLaren. He was trapped in gravel in pit lane entry, he had no grip. Fans remember that very well, but it has to be said, Lewis has capitalized his opportunity to drive for the top team. At that time, McLaren with Alonso and Hamilton were the top team, although due to interim competition in the team, Ferrari’s Raikkonen clinched the title in the finale in Interlagos, Brazil.
Lewis is the only driver to win in every single season he was on the grid
Lewis Hamilton has been driving for two top teams during his career, McLaren and Mercedes. He won at least one race in every single year and it is great achievement. McLaren were not always top team, they were struggling between 2009 and 2012, Mercedes were not the best team in 2013, but Lewis won at least one race every single season of F1.
2008 – first championship
Lewis clinched the title in Brazil after dramatic and eventful race in Brazil, he took the championship on last lap, on the last sector of the track. Felipe Massa was in tears, but he could not do more. He won the race, but it was not enough to clinch the title due to Lewis’es advantage over him in overall classification of the championship. In 2008 all drivers have made many mistakes. Even Lewis hit Tabac in Monaco, ironically he won the race in the principality. The team took the opportunity to refueled him and he pitted afterwards only once for dry tires, others were in the pitlane one more time. Lewis was unstoppable in Britain, Belgium (he was given the penalty after overtaking Kimi – according to the stewards he took the opportunity by cutting the chicane at the Bus stop), Australia – opener, China and Germany. His competitors, Massa and Kubica were excellent in others tracks, Kubica won in Canada, he was consistent over the entire season until penultimate race in Shanghai. Felipe Massa lost the championship due to his mistakes and his team, Ferrari, failures of the power unit, in Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Canada and Monaco. He was dominant in several occasions, Turkey, Bahrain, Brazil, Valencia, but it was not enough due to inconsistency in other races.
2009-2012 – painful experience in McLaren
Lewis won 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, but McLaren were not in the contention for the championship that year. The car was slow. In 2010 Lewis won races, but like in 2011 and 2012 McLaren were competitive, but inconsistent due to their reliability issues with gearbox and power unit. McLaren were the fastest package in 2012, but both Hamilton and Button were not given the chance to clinch the title due to failures of the car. Lewis left the team. Niki Lauda convinced Lewis to join Mercedes.
2013-2020 – Hamilton wins and despite Nico Rosberg 2016 championship, he is on his way to extend his gap over Michael Schumacher in race wins and number of titles by the end of 2021
Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013. They were not the best, behind the Red Bull team, but they were making progress over the year 2013. Nico won in Monaco and Britain, Lewis in Hungary, although he should have won British Grand Prix, but it wasn’t meant to be due to puncture. People thought in 2013, Lewis made mistake joining Mercedes, they were wrong. They thought, Merc is mid-pack team, McLaren will turn things around and they will start winning once again.
In 2014, Hamilton and Rosberg were fighting for the championship down to the wire in Abu Dhabi, like in 2016. In 2014, Lewis won, Nico in 2016. Mercedes have been dominant since 2014. Hybrid power units fit their team. The current regulations are in favor of the largest manufacturers, like Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda and Renault, however, Merc have all under control since the very beginning due to the superiority of their power unit over the opposition and due to others departments, like chassis, aero and durability.
They are dominant. Any other team hasn’t had such a gap over the opposition over 7 years. It is the key to understand, why did Lewis win 91 times until October 2020 and he will win many more times in future. Lewis is 6 time World Champion, he took 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and he will take 2020 championship equaling Schumacher number of titles, 7.
Lewis is not better driver than Verstappen, Alonso. He is a bit slower than them (Max proven that in 2019 Monaco Grand Prix trying to pass Lewis - Verstappen was more comfortable in wet Monte-Carlo track than Brit, Lewis is not untouchable, like Schumi in early 2000s and despite his experience, Max is able to put him under pressure in much slower car), but due to dominance of his team, he wins
I know people think Lewis wins because he is the best driver. He is close to the best, like Verstappen and Alonso, but he is not making Mercedes winning. Mercedes make Lewis winning. If Perez had driven for Mercedes between 2014 and 2020, he would have won titles. If Verstappen, Alonso, Ricciardo, Vettel, Kubica, Raikkonen had been in dominant team, they would have won. Ferrari built around Schumacher team that made the difference for the driver and Ferrari in late 1990s and early 2000s due to leadership of Michael. Therefore, Schumi’s 91 is not equal to Lewis’es 91.
Therefore, stats are not the best indicator to assess, whether Lewis is the best driver or not. Don’t get me wrong, Lewis is top driver, but he is not better than Alonso, Verstappen and Ricciardo. Car makes the difference, not driver.
However, we have to give Lewis credit – he takes the opportunity he was given. The best are doing so. Lewis is mighty in the wet and in qualifying. He matured due loss of 2016 championship and he is better than ever before. By saying that, I mean, he is consistent since 2017 until now. I’m not his fan, but I respect him since first his race back in Melbourne in 2007, when he finished third in his debut.
Lewis is the best rookie in F1 – his first season was truly exceptional despite not winning the championship, interim fight with Alonso, he faced the challenge and won races as the rookie.
Lewis Hamilton, 2007, McLaren. Credit: Wikipedia
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