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Not just a star, someone who’s bigger than a super-star and yet, above all, an individual who’s perpetually hungry for improvement, how does Lewis Hamilton do all that he does in F1?
Those 74 wins, 84 pole positions, and 5 world titles notwithstanding, Lewis has dominated at Silverstone, made winning a habit in Canada, ruled at Monza with comfortable ease and even exerted might at Spa-Francorchamps time and again.
Add to that his victory albeit one assisted by good fortune at the back of Leclerc’s woes at Bahrain’s Sakhir.
For a driver who inspires as much as he generates envy, it does seem after all, that there are no full stops in Lewis Hamilton’s F1 journey.
And regardless of what his critics think, some of who could well be wearing red capes (at least, in their minds), the Hamilton juggernaut seems utterly unstoppable, well at least, at this point in time.
But away from a world that believes in decorating celebrities with cosmological terms- star, superstar, icon, beacon of hope and whatnot- there’s something utterly simple and human about Lewis Hamilton.
Wondering what?
It’s that drive for improvement.
Correct?
And perhaps that is the reason why it is he and not Sebastian Vettel or say Kimi Raikkonen or someone else inching closer and closer toward beating a record that is, in itself, the zenith of statistical achievement in F1.
Compared to Michael Schumacher’s tally of seven world titles, Lewis Hamilton is currently contesting to win a Sixth.
Should that happen, it would take him even closer to the ‘Kaiser’ of Formula 1 racing.
But could there be other records belonging to Michael Schumacher that Hamilton can scale and is on the verge of beating?
Let’s find out.
- Most Grands Prix led
The greatness of Michael Schumacher can never be doubted. The German has provided a sense of grandeur to a sport that is always on the lookout for some. But over the course of the past few years, Lewis Hamilton has come desperately close toward matching none other than the 'Kaiser' himself.
At this point in time, Lewis Hamilton needs only 13 laps to beat the German legend where it comes to going past the record for leading most laps in F1.
So what's that number?
Michael Schumacher has led 142 laps in the sport while Lewis, with 130 is standing pretty close to that number. With age being on Hamilton's side, it seems it's just a matter of time before the Brit would get there.
2. Most wins at the same Grand Prix
It's not always the car or the situation of the race that brings out something special from a driver; there are certain race tracks that perhaps turn drivers into magicians of sorts.
Wondering how?
A simple example would be to recollect just why Kimi Raikkonen is called the 'King of Spa'. After all, the 2007 World Champion happens to have won at Belgium's iconic circuit on a record 4 occasions.
Similarly, both Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton have championed certain circuits displaying domination that's simply hard to match.
In case of the legendary Ferrari driver, Michael Schumacher has conquered the French Grand Prix on a record 8 occasions.
No other driver from Germany has won in France on more occasions than Schumi. Similarly, Lewis Hamilton's demonstrated outright domination at certain circuits.
Wondering what those are and how many times has Lewis conquered them all?
The 2018 World Champion has won the Canadian GP, Hungarian GP, and the US GP for a record 6 occasions. If he happens to win at any of these three tracks on 3 separate occasions, he'll beat the famous German driver.
3. Grand Prix podiums
No driver contests in F1 without the dream of landing on the podium. There are some who make winning a habit. On the other hand, there are some that habitually occupy a space among the top three. Then there are those like Hamilton and Schumacher who become both consummate race winners as well as podium clinchers.
Right?
To that regard, if there's another Michael Schumacher record that Lewis can better then its the number of podiums that the German driver has clinched.
Thus far, Lewis Hamilton stands comfortably with 136 podiums collected ever since he emerged on the scene, circa 2007.
If that's not an incredible number then what is? Well, we'll tell you. Michael Schumacher, albeit in two separate stints, bagged 155 podium finishes. Interesting, right?
So what can Hamilton do now?
As it is, with 19 races left in the season, his fans wouldn't rule out the possibility of the Briton inching closer and closer toward Schumi's tally. One suspects 2020 is when the British racing icon will perhaps go past Michael Schumacher's remarkable tally.
4. Most race wins
You live to win. You win to live. It's as simple as that. And this is the simple rule against which the true mettle of a Formula 1 legend is judged.
In a sphere where unpredictability reigns supreme, one's got to be at the absolute peak of his form and capability- right?
Otherwise, a driver can contend with being an average name on the grid. But what difference would that ever bring?
In that regard, Michael Schumacher's tally of 91 race wins is undoubtedly staggering.
And to be fair to other drivers contesting alongside the German, it's not just the victories that Schumi clinched that made him a great, rather it's the manner in which he clinched those that cast a spell over his fans.
Ruthless and determined, Michael's achievements highlighted the meaning of being a true genius. It were the sterling wins such as the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix (his first), the 2001 French GP victory (his 50th), or the triumphs at Monza and Shanghai in 2006, his final year before retirement (first stint) made Schumacher an all-time legend.
Few drivers can possibly think of beating Michael Schumacher. Right? But then, Lewis is no ordinary driver. Thus far, with 74 wins, Hamilton stands only 17 shy of going past the Deutscher.
But can he do that? There seems to be no reason why he can't. But, well, F1 isn't known to be particularly predictable.
5. World Championships
If there's a record that will not only be cherished by Hamilton but by an entire racing cosmos comprising of fans, admirers, past greats, rising talents and who knows, even critics, then it's this one.
It's as simple as that.
No other driver has collected 7 world titles in the pinnacle of motor racing other than Michael Schumacher.
With Hamilton being in the kind of form that he is in, it seems only a matter of time before someone sensational from Her Majesty's Kingdom will conquer the most popular record that there ever is.
Not since 2014 have Mercedes failed to dominate F1 racing. Lewis, who won the championship in 2014 and 2015, losing the title in 2016 to Rosberg only to claim back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 has quite simply lifted the graph of F1 greatness.
6. Most fastest-laps ever
Truth be told, this one might seem a bit too far-fetched for the Briton to conquer at least at this point in time.
But if there's a driver on the grid who can get this one, then it seems, Hamilton has a great chance.
Thus far, Michael Schumacher holds the record for having set the most number of fastest-laps in Grand Prix racing. The number is a whopping 77. Schumi achieved this sensational feat during his two stints in F1, the latter, that took shape with the German driver returning back to the sport with Mercedes.
On the other hand, with 41 fastest laps, Lewis Hamilton is currently third on the list. And that's not all. He's currently tied with French racing great Alain Prost.
Only 'The Iceman' Kimi Raikkonen has set more fastest laps than both Prost or Hamilton, his tally currently standing at 46.
But surely, while Kimi is staring at the end of his career, despite having another season to contest in at (2020), Hamilton, it mustn't be forgotten is nearly 6 and a half years younger to Kimi and therefore stands a better chance to get close and who knows, past the great 'Schumi.'
