An exhilarating last lap during Sunday’s British Grand Prix saw the current World Champion Lewis Hamilton cross the finish line on three wheels to take the top step of the podium.
Hamilton’s dominating drive from pole during the initial stages of the Grand Prix gave him enough of a buffer to pip Max Verstappen to victory. The Britons performance during instances like these are what make the motorsport world wonder who is the greatest of all time. Is it Michael Schumacher or Lewis Hamilton? The answer is neither Michael Schumacher nor Lewis Hamilton can ever be considered as Formula 1’s greatest drivers nor will they ever be. Here’s why.
Michael Schumacher excelled in the sport from 1991 to 2012. He won a record breaking seven World Championships during his career and further secured a total of 68 pole positions, put-down a total of 77 fastest laps and held the record for most Grand Prix victories at 91 wins. However, his record for most Grand Prix wins was broken on 19 July by our next point-of-focus, six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton is the present Formula 1 World Champion and is currently enjoying a domineering performance in the new turbo-hybrid engine era of the sport. He secured his maiden title in only his second year in Formula 1 and since succeeded in winning a total of six World Championship titles.
Hamilton is breaking barriers and shattering records as he effortlessly charges through the field, very similar to how Schumacher did so back in his day. As a result, many fans and professionals alike are now debating and speculating on who might be the sport’s greatest contender, Schumacher or Hamilton.
Statistics and Pure Skill
The debate has ensued for a long time and it seems impossible to reach a verdict on who is the far-superior sportsman. In terms of pure statistics, we can be certain without a shred of a doubt that Michael Schumacher set the standard by establishing a benchmark of an impressive record career victories, pole positions, fastest laps and titles.
It must also be considered that the German achieved his successes in a period when race cars were almost entirely analog and fully mechanical. He won his first two titles while driving for Benetton: a top tier team back in the day and later for the prestigious Ferrari team.
Amongst the Formula 1 racing fraternity it is generally understood that Ferrari, although an impressive team with rich racing heritage, is an incredibly tough team to drive for. It’s a constructor governed by tradition, politics and an unforgiving hand. When he joined the team at the time, Ferrari were in a major slump both financially and within the sport. Schumacher was able to walk straight into this almost toxic work environment and transform it into a world champion team. He won the remainder of his titles under the Ferrari name and he is also known for bringing Ferrari back from almost nothing.
For this, Schumacher has garnered the support of Ferrari fans globally and when we think Formula 1, we instantly think the flashing red of the speeding Ferrari with Schumacher behind the wheel.
Lewis Hamilton on the other hand, won his first World Championship in just his second season, becoming the youngest driver to claim the title. A record now surpassed by Sebastian Vettel. Hamilton has may more years in the sport and already is on the verge of beating Schumacher’s record for most title wins. He is taking over the sport in this modern era of the turbo-hybrid era where he is aided by constantly evolving technology and extensive innovative research before every race.
However, we can’t take away from the raw talent he possesses and his impressive ability to make the right strategy calls while also managing his tires to absolute perfection. An extremely hard task given the sheer power in these modern cars as well as strict regulations regarding tire compounds. Hamilton began his career with the McLaren racing team where he scored his first title, later he moved to a dominating team in Mercedes. A strong partnership quickly developed and ever since the two have been unstoppable with Hamilton winning a further five titles with the constructor.
There’s is so much more to expect from the Britons future sporting career as he recently broke the previous record for most wins set by Schumacher, and he is showing no signs of slowing down.
Passion and a Role Model
The German racing legend has a strong following of passionate fans even today who wholeheartedly believe that no driver can beat his greatness. You only need to surf Reddit to see this support. He was a witty, lovable character who adored his fans. However, the German has had some questionable moments both on and off the track. There is the famous instance when the Ferrari team instructed Rubens Barichello to move over to let Schumacher take the win during the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix.
Additionally, many of his peers such as Alain Prost and Eddie Jordan have openly said that Schumacher was definitely talented, but he wasn’t a team player. This is in connection to contractual conditions along with his mentality and general driving style in races.
Schumacher was also a great advocate for safety and always put forward the betterment of his fellow drivers ahead of his own. In the latter part of his career he also carried the burden of President of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, an organisation that represents the views of the drivers. Apart from all this, affectionately known as ‘Schumi’ by many, was and forever will be an inspiration and a role model to the masses.
Hamilton too is a strong role model within the sport and an inspiration to the new generation of motoring enthusiasts, specially to the racial minority’s all over the world. Presently being the only black driver on the grid, he is and always has been a strong advocate for racial equality within a predominantly white dominated industry that is Formula 1.
He has accepted the mantle as a role model to a generation of young people. Some fans have argued that Hamilton is in a class of his own with not a single driver able to bring the challenge to him and the reliable Mercedes engine. Similar to Schumi, Hamilton too has taken a Grand Prix victory after having team orders implemented, specifically during the 2018 Sochi Grand Prix during which Hamilton and the team were blasted by the motorsport community. Apart from a few incidents such as these, Hamilton is an incredibly humble yet fierce driver, levelheaded and witty, much to the adoration of his fans.
Conclusion
In terms of pure talent, it is undoubtedly so that both drivers are exceptionally gifted and exuding talent. The general consensus being that the fans adore Michael Schumacher while the professionals believe that Lewis Hamilton is the better driver. Lewis Hamilton will most certainly eclipse Schumacher’s records in due time and as a result be the most successful driver in F1 History. But most of his and Schumachers success is down to the developments within the sport and its progress overtime. Today, the cars are faster and more agile around a track while the drivers are able to build their machine and their team to fit their own specifications. Much unlike Formula 1 legends such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Ayrton Senna or Niki Lauda. Therefore, I believe that neither Lewis Hamilton nor Michael Schumacher will ever be the GOAT.
By Randev Jayasinha