With Lewis Hamilton entering the F1 grid in 2007, former F1 driver and championship runner-up David Coulthard warned McLaren of making the move too soon and believed the Briton was not yet ready for the big leagues. However, soon after seeing him race, Coulthard changed his opinion and claimed Hamilton was a mix of the legendary Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
Quoted by Frank Worrall in Hamilton’s Biography, the British former driver was quick to change his opinion of Hamilton once he saw what the youngest driver on the grid was capable of achieving, seeing glimpses of a future world champion in him.
“How good is Lewis [Hamilton]? Undoubtedly, the guy is very special. I’d say he is a combination of Senna and Prost.”
At 10 years of age, Hamilton became the youngest-ever driver to win the British cadet karting championship. By the time he turned 13, Hamilton had already won the Super One Series and the British Championships. At 15, Hamilton had become the European champion while also racing in the Formula A series. In his early twenties, Hamilton was a Formula 3 and a GP2 champion, prompting McLaren to bring the driver on board and offer him an F1 seat, giving way to people to draw comparisons between him and some of the legends of the sport.
While 2007 marked arguably the greatest rookie season in the history of F1, 2008 was one step better for Briton, who won his first of seven world titles. With race wins becoming the norm for him, Hamilton quickly racked up record after record, winning multiple accolades with each passing season and becoming an idol for every young driver aspiring to make it big in F1.
Lewis Hamilton: The Statistical GOAT
In the 17 seasons he has been a part of F1, Hamilton has won a record 7 world titles, racking up a massive 103 race wins out of 332. The Briton has been on the podium a further 94 times, with 104 pole positions to his name. Having accumulated over 4600 points throughout his career, Hamilton stands well beyond the reach of any F1 driver, be it past or present.
Three-time world champion Max Verstappen stands as the only potential driver to challenge the numbers of the 38-year-old, but there is a chance he might not be able to do so. Per the Dutchman’s own words, he might not stay in the sport long enough to overtake Hamilton’s numbers, as he wants to try his luck in other forms of motorsports, too. Meanwhile, there is a possibility of Hamilton further increasing his tally as he is showing no signs of stopping. At 38, the Briton will continue with Mercedes until he’s at least 40, and claims he will continue racing in F1 as long as his mind and body allow him to.
