Lewis Hamilton may be sitting atop the record books in F1 today, but there used to be another force in Michael Schumacher dominating the sport. Before Hamilton’s success with Mercedes in the 2010s, Schumacher was ahead in terms of race wins, championships, poles, and podiums.
Hamilton was also amazed by the success of the Ferrari legend. His surprise was evident during the post-race press conference at the 2018 French GP, where he answered questions after securing a win in his 23rd different country. With this victory, he had surpassed Schumacher.
When a journalist reminded him of the same, he said,
“Every time I am told of these records, I am just blown away by Michael even more and more. He obviously had a long career, incredible statistics, just brings me back to watching him as a kid.”
Since then, Hamilton has broken nearly all of Schumacher’s records. At the Portuguese GP in 2020, he surpassed the former German star to become the driver with the most race wins in F1, surpassing Schumacher’s 91 victories. As of today, Hamilton has 105 victories.
1 to 92
Count them up #PortugueseGP #F1 @LewisHamilton pic.twitter.com/zzk9yB4f41
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 25, 2020
Hamilton also holds the record for the most pole positions in F1 history, with 104, a record expected to stand for some time. However, one record he has yet to surpass—but is currently tied with Schumacher on—is the number of Championships. Hamilton’s last title win was in 2020, which brought his total to seven
Can Hamilton become F1’s greatest?
Hamilton has joined Schumacher’s former team, Ferrari, on a multi-year deal. Despite turning 40 earlier this month, his move has stirred the needle. He is widely expected to fight for his eighth World Championship with Maranello, and given the team’s rich history, it would be a fitting way to surpass one of the greatest drivers ever in Schumacher.
Breaking the World Championship record at Schumacher’s former team is something Hamilton could have only dreamed of, especially after his 12-year-long association with Mercedes, which led many to believe he would retire at the Brackley-based outfit.
However, with Ferrari emerging as a potential championship contender, Hamilton is now in a strong position to claim his last big achievement. It won’t be easy, though, as reigning champion Max Verstappen is currently the driver to beat and is chasing down these records at lightning speed.
After winning his fourth title in a row in 2024, can Verstappen equal the record held by Schumacher, in 2025? #F1 pic.twitter.com/lBoLKqFjbT
— Formula 1 (@F1) January 8, 2025
In the past three seasons, Verstappen has won 43 Grands Prix, quickly climbing the list of most race wins to take third place (with 63) behind Hamilton and Schumacher. While Hamilton still holds the record with 105 wins, there is a possibility that Verstappen could overtake him within the next three to four seasons.
However, the 27-year-old has made it clear that he is not focused on securing these records. His current contract with Red Bull runs until the end of 2028, after which Verstappen has hinted at retiring from F1 to pursue racing in another category. So, if he manages to break some of these records by then, he will take them, but if not, it will be Hamilton who retains the title of F1’s statistical GOAT.
