Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are two of the biggest stars in F1. They have a combined total of 10 world championships between them and lit the F1 world on fire with their 2021 world championship battle. They started their careers in very different eras, but still, these two generational talents have crossed paths, and treated fans to some brilliant racing action over the years. Their rookie seasons, on the other hand, were extremely contrasting, but unique in their own way.
Verstappen, now 26 years old, made his F1 debut with Toro Rosso back in 2015. Regarded as an exceptional driver who was aggressive and mature beyond his years, Verstappen had relatively less single-seater experience. But his performances, which reminded Franz Tost (former Toro Rosso boss) of Michael Schumacher, convinced Helmut Marko to sign him up for Red Bull’s sister team.
#OnThisDay 8 years ago…
A 16-year-old by the name of Max Verstappen was announced as a Toro Rosso driver for the 2015 season
What ever happened to that kid? #F1 https://t.co/y12JiZZO8q pic.twitter.com/HWNW7utaFO
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 18, 2022
Hamilton, on the other hand, made his debut 8 years ago, in 2007, driving for McLaren. He was a part of their program for quite a long time and took the world of F1 by storm in his debut season by putting up a commendable title fight.
Statistics-wise, their rookie seasons could not have been more different.
Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen – Rookie season
Races |
Poles |
Wins |
Podiums |
Points |
Position | |
Lewis Hamilton | 17 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 109* | 2nd |
Max Verstappen | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 12th |
*Hamilton’s points tally in 2007 was as per the old points system. Lesser points were given out to scorers back in the day. If Hamilton had the same season today, with the same results, his total tally would have been considerably more.
Analyzing Hamilton and Verstappen’s rookie seasons
At first glance, it is evident that Hamilton’s rookie season was miles clear of Verstappen’s in pretty much every aspect. One thing has to be taken into consideration, however. It is the fact that Verstappen was driving for a team that was essentially a backmarker, scraping into the midfield.
Max Verstappen lends his name to the Wall Of Champions for a third time
He’s only the 11th driver in the sport to become a three-time World Champion! #F1 @Max33Verstappen pic.twitter.com/cIdpLVw3ui
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 7, 2023
The Dutchman’s teammate was Carlos Sainz, and the former was consistently better than him. Sainz finished P15 with 18 points to his name, three places below Verstappen. But just taking into account that Verstappen was driving for a weaker team cannot be done. The magnitude of the waves caused by Hamilton’s rookie season, especially considering the situation he found himself in, made it all that special.
Why Lewis Hamilton’s rookie season was special
Hamilton became the first black driver in the history of F1 when he joined the grid in 2007. He was put up against Fernando Alonso, who had won the 2005 and 2006 titles, as his teammate. The Spanish driver was not easy to deal with, and since McLaren was a race-winning team, there was added pressure on him to perform.
Despite being a rookie, Hamilton went on to give Alonso a run for his money. They went toe to toe for the title, along with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. Unfortunately for Hamilton, Raikkonen finished in P1, but the Briton was just one point short of a historic rookie season.
He finished level on points with Alonso, and the Oviedo-born driver, unsettled with Hamilton’s rise in the team, joined Renault the following year. In 2008, Hamilton did not make any mistakes. He won his first world title, the first of seven.
