F1 Rivalries: Lewis Hamilton’s Greatest Rivals in Grand Prix Racing

When drivers race in Formula One, they get as famous for their wins as they become infamous for their rivalries. Every era has seen a group of champions fighting it out directly or indirectly with their immediate rivals. Often, these on-field battles stick in the mind long after the drivers in question have retired. Whether it be Ayrton Senna vs Alain Prost or Niki Lauda vs James Hunt, these tussles make for nail-biting viewing about which competitor would turn out on top that week or year.

Lewis Hamilton started karting at the tender age of eight and over the course of his 25-year-long racing career has stacked up rivals as much as he the wins. The four time world champion is known for his hunger to compete in championships and come out on top. Let’s have a look at his greatest rivals in Formula One:-

#4 Max Verstappen-

Max Verstappen came into Formula One on what seems to be the fast track, propelled up by his knack for taking risks and pure speed. He happened to catch the eye of all the right people at the right time. When he finally came onto the scene, he impressed one and all with his racing acumen. So much so, that even Lewis Hamilton touted him as one of the four best racing drivers on the grid in 2017. To be compared with Lewis, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso in just his third year in Formula One by the Brit himself is no small feat.

While the Dutch driver has not challenged Lewis for a championship title yet, there have been numerous occasions of Max and Lewis going head to head on the track. These incidents have bred bad blood between them, with Lewis even going so far as calling the 20-year-old a ‘d***head’ post the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix. Although, he later apologized for the comment and the pair of them accept and acknowledge the other’s racing abilities in public.

#3 Sebastian Vettel-

The 2018 Formula One season started with two four-time world champions on the grid, for the first time in history. Both Sebastian Vettel and Lewis have tasted victory before and are hungry for more, and this shows in their rivalry as well. While both have collided, figuratively and literally, quite a few times, they remain cordial and respectful of each other. They have bantered good-naturedly and made light of the fight between them as often as they have gone full throttle against one another.

The relationship seemed to have reached its end during the 2017 Azerbaijan GP, when the German accused Lewis of brake testing him and as a consequence, came alongside him to collide in a show of displeasure. Neither party was willing to take the blame, but both had some harsh words to say. However, it seems to have smoothed over enough and both of them know how to put aside their rivalry and not let it affect them personally.

Video Vettel vs Hamilton Azerbaijan 2017

#2 Nico Rosberg-

Lewis Hamilton - Nico Rosberg cap throwing incident United States GP

Nico Rosberg and Lewis had been karting teammates as youngsters, but by the time that Nico retired, nobody could imagine that these two had remained friends for a long period of their lives. When asked, the 33-year-old did not name the German as one of his fiercest rivals, but competing with the latter gave him two world championships. Lewis even lost one to Nico, right before the German retired.

Mercedes, from 2014-2016, had no immediate rival and their purple patch become a thorn in Lewis and Nico’s friendship. With them both fighting for the world championship, animosity became inevitable. Incidents on track quickly spilled onto their lives off it, with the pre-podium cap throwing at the 2015 United States Grand Prix as proof of the friction between them. By the time the German attained his solo championship in 2016 and retired, the friendship seemed to have become unrepairable.

Video Nico throwing the cap

#1 Fernando Alonso-

Fernando Alonso stopping Lewis Hamilton in the pits at the 2007 Hungarian GP

Fernando Alonso vs Lewis Hamilton has become a rivalry for the ages. The British racer joined McLaren for his rookie year in Formula One and was paired up with the two-time world champion, Fernando Alonso. While most would have expected Lewis to slowly climb up the ranks, he immediately started challenged the more experienced El Nano from the get-go.

The rivalry came to a boil during the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix, when Hamilton refused to let Alonso through during qualifying, as McLaren had asked. Alonso then took his revenge by making the Briton wait in the pits for an extra few seconds to ensure that he missed having a go at a final quick lap.

It is fortuitous that Lewis won all of his four world championships when he was not fighting the Spanish driver directly. However, with McLaren terminating their contract with Honda as their engine supplier and starting anew with Renault engines, it can be hoped that these two might fight head to head again for a championship battle. Afterall, the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix acted as a tempting teaser for what might be if these two were in similarly designed cars again.

Video Qualifying Hungary 2007 ( Alonso blocking Hamilton)

Edited by Shahid Salman