At last weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton did the once unthinkable and surpassed Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 race victories.
With no other drivers coming remotely close to Schumacher and Hamilton’s win tally, the latter has dispelled any doubts that he is one the best the sport has seen.
Now with an impressive 92 first place trophies in his collection, there’s no better time to reflect on a truly remarkable career by looking back on Hamilton’s five best wins since his debut 13 years ago.
5. CANADA 2007:
Albeit an obvious choice for a top 5, you’d struggle to find a driver that doesn’t consider their first win as one of their greatest.
In only the sixth race of his career, Hamilton stormed to victory in Montreal. It was a drive of a racer way above his age and experience. Leading from the start, he managed an impressive first stint, pulling out a 19 second lead before a safety car closed the field back up. Undeterred, Hamilton continued to control the race perfectly despite a further three safety cars.
It couldn’t have been a more challenging race in dry conditions, and he showed he had the composure to handle the unpredictability of racing at the highest level.
Hamilton’s maiden victory not only put him at the top of driver’s championship, but arguably more importantly, confirmed to many that he had an immensely bright future ahead.
4. BAHRAIN 2014:
Throughout his time at Mercedes, Hamilton’s success has not come without criticism. While some would argue that his success is largely down to a lack of challenge, Bahrain was a timely reminder that when it comes down to it, Lewis has the skill to fight wheel to wheel.
Having qualified second, Hamilton was able to take the lead by turn three and the race was on. Things were looking good. He had a comfortable lead and was on what was thought to be the better strategy choice. But a late safety car and round of pit stops forced him onto the inferior medium tyre for the last 10 laps of the race. With Rosberg on the faster soft compound and the field closed up, Nico saw his chance to convert his pole to a win.
The two battled it out for the top spot, but ultimately, it was Lewis who maintained the lead and snatched the win by just over a second. Those closing laps were a masterclass in defending. Lewis knew just where to position his car to fend of any attack from Rosberg. Even when the odds were stacked against him, Hamilton had taken the victory through outright talent – making this win definitely deserving of a top five spot.
3. MONACO 2019:
When the F1 paddock arrived in Monte Carlo, emotions were running high after the news of Niki Lauda’s death. Lauda’s impact on the sport was momentous. Lauda and Lewis were close friends and Niki had been instrumental in convincing Lewis to join the then relatively uncompetitive Mercedes team in 2013.
Starting from pole, Hamilton’s race was relatively comfortable until a risky strategy decision from the Mercedes pit wall. Hamilton was stuck on set of worn tyres with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen mounting the pressure. Verstappen tried his best to pressure Lewis into a mistake, but the Brit drove a flawless race, fending off two serious challenges from the Dutchman.
He didn’t put a foot wrong under immense stress and his performance reminded everyone why he is a deserving multiple world champion.
2. GERMANY 2018:
If Bahrain hadn’t proved that Hamilton is a great wheel to wheel racer, his stunning performance at Hockenheim certainly silenced the few remaining doubters. After a hydraulics issue brought his qualifying to a premature end, the Brit was forced to start down in P14. With the Mercedes notorious for losing a lot of performance when running in dirty air, the then four-time world champion would have his work cut out on Sunday.
The mixed weather conditions meant the race was filed with chaotic pit stops, catastrophic tyre choices and major heart break for Ferrari fans. But against all odds, he fought his way through the field. The performance was testament to his character and mindset. He never doubted that a win was possible and continued to push throughout the entire race. It’s this attitude that makes him one of the best racers on the grid. Fan or not, it is almost impossible not to admire his determination and commitment to the sport.
- Silverstone 2008
Hamilton’s first Silverstone win will forever be a special one for many fans. It was set to be a difficult race from the start. Persistent rain meant conditions were treacherous and making the right tyre choices was more important than ever. It was going to be an impossible one to predict. Starting from P4, Hamilton had a great start, momentarily taking the lead, until falling back to P2 behind his teammate Heikki Kovalainen. But this was not for long and Hamilton quickly retook the lead by lap five.
For the entire race, Hamilton proved to have phenomenal confidence in his car and tyres. His pace was unmatched in every stint and he took the win by over a minute. Others behind him made mistake after mistake, but Hamilton only ever found himself off the track once, and it cost him almost nothing. Similarly, to Canada 2007, he drove an extremely mature for a 23-year-old. Even Fernando Alonso struggled to correctly manage the ever-changing conditions.
Silverstone 2008 foreshadowed the many dominant performances we would see from Hamilton during his time at Mercedes. It gave fans a glimpse of the flawless performances he currently puts in on a weekly basis, and for that reason, it undoubtedly deserves the top spot.
By Daniela Loffreda