He’s done it! Lewis Hamilton won his third Formula 1 world championship title at the 2015 United States GP.
He did it in style too, taking his 10th win of the season to add to his current tally of 43 race victories. That’s one more than Sebastian Vettel, which moves Lewis up to third in the all time list, behind Michael Schumacher (91) and Alain Prost (51).
Lewis is the 10th driver in history to win three titles or more, and now has as many championships to his name as his idol Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, Niki Lauda, Jackie Stewart and Jack Brabham. Ahead of him lie Vettel, Alain Prost (four titles each), Juan Manuel Fangio (five) and Schumacher (seven).
He successfully defended his title – a first back-to-back win for a British driver. It’s arguably his easiest yet, wrapping up the championship with three races to go. He won the 2008 title on the very last corner of the final race, and the 2014 championship in a last-race showdown against his Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 teammate, Nico Rosberg.
Fellow three-time champion Jackie Stewart was recently quoted as saying that Hamilton is not yet an F1 great, and that “one can (only) achieve that level until later.” Hamilton agreed, too, commenting that, “legends are people who are in the older generation I feel, people who have retired.”
Well, at just 30 years old and in the form of his career, he certainly looks set to add to his current record of three titles, 43 wins, 84 podiums, 49 pole positions and 27 fastest laps over 164 starts. Is he an F1 great just yet? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
Well done, Lewis. Well done.
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Hamilton is a driver who really gotten into F1 in the most immaculate way. He has only driven for top teams. On the other hand, Vettel had to work his way to the top. Starting as a backup driver for Kubica and on his first outing on an F1 car, he scored points. Which is a record.
He then won in a crappy B-rate small team Toro Rosso, an achievement which has yet to be matched by other drivers in that team.
Lewis is good but the car did most of the winning for him. Plus, he has got a very weak teammate. Remember, Nico has only been ahead of Nakajima and Senior citizen Schumacher. Nico was the slower driver compared to Webber back in 2006. Vettel comprehensively beaten Webber for 5 seasons!
IMO, Vettel is still a much much better driver and a much better personality too.
F1 is boring, electric one is lagi boring
Most WDCs have been won with good cars. Look at the legendary Schuhmacher and Senna. The McLaren MP4/4 and the Ferrari F2002/F2004 is some of the most dominant cars in F1’s history, much like the Mercedes W05 last year and the W06 this year. And don’t pretend the Red Bull’s weren’t dominant cars. Not as dominant as the Mercedes, but still.
Hamilton as also fought for podiums with mediocre cars. McLaren hasn’t exactly been consistent. Remember 2009, 2010 and 2011? He still won races despite McLaren being a midfield team.
And cut Rosberg some slack. 2006 was a crappy season as the car retired for more than half the season. And you’re going to dismiss every season after that where he has come on top within the team? Also he has proven last year (in the same car nonetheless) that he can keep up with Hamilton until the very last race, where reliability costed him the championship. This year he wasn’t as good, but Rosberg is still better than people give him credit for. If anything I feel sorry for him as of late as he’s being treated like utter crap. The crowd was booing him at the podium ceremony today!
u conclude everything I wanna say
gone were days we got brilliant drivers like Schumi(can start 8-10 positions behind the grid but won the race in a rainny day) now everyone about the same level, just who has a better car..Give Vettel a Merz this yr he can win wc too..
8-10 grid start ain’t a thing. Lewis once in last season started in last and finished 3rd. Hasn’t seen anyone did that. not even Schumacher.
to me what legendary is when you never fail to fight for podium when you start from way back on the grid. sebastian vettel. proved his driving skills since toro rosso
One may feel he’s winning 2 WDC due to Mercedes superiority and thus not really a great. Just like how most would feel for Vettel.
I think we all miss the great time where there’s close racing and whoever that come out of it were worthy champions. Nowadays there’s DRS, ridiculous rules, etc which took a bit away from the hard racing we seen back then.
butoh la his car winning the race not him
Most of the ppl would say he is a great driver..but for me, he is a good driver but to call him great? Yet to convince me as compared to what has been done by alonso and vettel..especially alonso, eventho i hate him but still it proves that he is really a capable driver..
I still couldnt see hamilton’s true capability as a great driver because he started his career with a top team..whereas alonso and vettel u know they starts from low and mid team..u can see their progress to become as a great driver..
Yes, the most boring legend.
now the title is wrapped up and now can we see proper racing? i mean no BS team order, preferrence this that, and let everyone to drive as hard as they can. the closest fight between mates was webber and vettel last time so this is interesting to see whether hamilton really better than nico?
Have you been watching this season at all? Team orders hasn’t been a thing for a while now and there has been some intense racing this past few races. Just today had one of the best races of the season.
Plus the Hamilton/Rosberg rivalry last year was intense, decision came down to the very last race.
no no no
team orders still there they just not in the clear just like what ferrari told someone in the past.
and also some noise please.
Lewis is not a legend yet, but that time looms nearer and nearer. The Mercedes juggernaut is something of a trend now. If they can keep their rivals off their back(hoping the new Ferrari engine tweak comes good next year), then Lewis will again have a red carpet to walk on next November
That is why he does not want mercedes to provide its powertrains to more F1 teams…
the merc’s unit is unbeatable 2 seasons in a row….
but ferrari is catching up…
i think you never knew about f1 at all.you must know alonso vs raikkonen,alonso totally dominated him with 161 vs 55 points and raikkonen sits behind kevin magnussen(55) n jenson button scores 126 points with slower mclaren than ferrari at that time while vettel vs raikkonen,sometimes raikkonen can outpace vettel in qualifying which is never happen when alonso v raikkonen.and something interesting alonso vs hamilton in 2007,they are equally faster but only experience alonso has slightly advantage but hamilton without experience still can catch up alonso with equal 12 podiums finishes both of them but vettel vs ricciardo even ricciardo faster than vettel.don’t say ricciardo get better car because red bull treat them equally unlike vettel vs webber,red bull always give vettel an oppurtinity to test new chassis,aerodynamic package,new engine n so on that’s why vettel so much faster than webber.unlike mercedes they threat both hamilton n rosberg equally.so the conclusion is alonso n hamilton is one of the best f1 driver.next to follow is max verstappen,daniel ricciardo n danill kvyat if they get good cars.raikkonen is best when get the best car that suit his driving style.alonso is best when max out the car.vettel is best when start from pole position he will smoke out everyone.hamilton is best when using mind games n driving style which is really aggresive n full of determination to overtake but don’t forget about juan pablo montoya.i think he is the best at all because using bmw williams he even can outpace michael schumacer in ferrari shows how big talent of him.miss juan pablo montoya
I disagree with your comments about Kimi. Yes I admit ever since his return to ferrari, his performances has not been like how it used to during his younger days. Kimi is also another driver who started off in a small team which was Sauber back in 2001 and FYI he made it into F1 because of his skills. He climbed into Mclaren the following year. You are trying to imply Alonso outclass him. Please take a look at Suzuka 2005. Kimi qualified 17th while Alonso qualified 16th. In the end who won it on the penultimate lap. Besides Kimi almost won the titles in the year 2003 and 2005. Please get your facts right before undermining his capability. Sauber wasn’t really catered to his so called front end style but guess what his driving was still phenomenal in that car.
Suzuka 2005 is more like fuel & pit strategy..Alonso oso not bad he finished in 3rd place..
Nope, Hamilton is far from being a legend.
Kimi just doesn’t have the car to his liking. and, FINALLY someone still remember Montoya! That wanker can drive, and was fun see him tease Schumacher..!!!
Kimi Raikkonen is a legend !!!
Sebastion Vettel is the people’s champion. His fighting spirit is second to none. He drives like a real gentleman. Watched Hamilton on the first lap of the Austin GP and you will understand why when he tried to block Rosberg or push him off the track. Rosberg, on the other hand, is not a very smart driver.
Hes definitely not a legend, far from it, bcos wen hes a bad race, he blames left, right and center and theres this smug arrogance abt him…. This year’s f1,has to be one of the most boring ever, blame is not solely on merc’s rivs that didnt put any fight, but the constant changes of regulations which downgraded the sport massively… I agree that if vettel n hamilton have the same car, vetter is alot more accomplished, plus he has that normal guy vibe to him, not some gold chain n diamond earrings n dye your hair blonde!
Gone were the days where F1 was about the drivers’ caliber & skill and not the machine itself..
I missed the days Schumi vs Mika…
now it is who has a better car..since Alonso with Renault(2x wc, where is Renault now?) Vettel(4x wc with red bulls, ironically Red Bull considering pull out of F1 next year) and Hamilton 3xwc with Mercedes dominating the scene now.
I think there is no stand out drive in F1 nowadays, it’s just who got the better car, that’s why a lot ppl have ditched the sport, including me,just my 2 cents