On paper, more successful than Fangio, Stewart and Senna, Hamilton finds comparisons with Schumi and Co. “surreal” after clinching the 6th F1 drivers’ title at the US Grand Prix Formula 1 event in Austin, Texas.

The British driver claims that he still finds it surreal that, as six-time champion, he has surpassed icons of the sport such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Jackie Stewart or Ayrton Senna. He became aware of this once again after winning the title last weekend in Austin.

 

“I remember being younger, waking up, coming down the stairs to my stepmother Linda. She always made me a bacon sandwich, and then my dad and I sat down to watch the Grand Prix.”

“It’s strange to have seen that on TV back then – and now I’m the one who’s there on TV doing things I used to admire as great in Ayrton and Michael. It’s beyond surreal that my life’s journey brought me to this point, to a sixth title,” says Hamilton.

A rather different Grand Prix for Hamilton in Austin, where his entire family was present including his mother and step-mother. Father Anthony accompanied his career as a manager for many years until Lewis and Anthony went their separate ways professionally. 

“I don’t even remember the last time that my stepfather and my stepmother, my father and my mother were together at a Grand Prix,”

Father Anthony revealed in Austin that he had no intention of flying to the USA, but that was his son’s explicit wish. In addition to the very narrowest family circle, there were even family members from Grenada, where Hamilton Sr. has his roots. The former quarrels within the Hamilton family seem to be a thing of the past.

“I don’t think they’ve all been to a World Championship deciding Grand Prix before. To experience that with them, with the people who make me tick and who have given up so much for me so that I can have the life I live today and see them smile – that makes me really proud and happy”.

 

 

World championship titles

1. Michael Schumacher – 7

2. Lewis Hamilton – 6

3. Juan Manuel Fangio – 5

4. Sebastian Vettel, Alain Prost – 4

5. Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna – 3

 

Total wins

1. Michael Schumacher – 91

2. Lewis Hamilton – 83

3. Sebastian Vettel – 53

4. Alain Prost – 51

5. Ayrton Senna – 41

 

Percentages of F1 career races won

1. Juan Manuel Fangio – 52 entries, 24 wins (46.51%)

2. Alberto Ascari – 33 entries, 13 wins (39.39%)

3. Jim Clark – 73 entries, 25 wins (34.25%)

4. Lewis Hamilton – 248 entries, 83 wins (33.47%)

5. Michael Schumacher – 308 entries, 91 wins (29.55%)

 

Total races finished in the points

1. Michael Schumacher – 221

2. Kimi Raikkonen – 212

3. Lewis Hamilton – 211

4. Fernando Alonso – 202

5. Sebastian Vettel – 194

 

Total podium finishes

1. Michael Schumacher – 155

2. Lewis Hamilton – 149

3. Sebastian Vettel – 119

4. Alain Prost – 106

5. Kimi Raikkonen – 103

 

Pole positions

1. Lewis Hamilton – 87

2. Michael Schumacher – 68

3. Ayrton Senna – 65

4. Sebastian Vettel – 57

5. Jim Clark, Alain Prost – 57