THE BATTLE FOR F1’S BEST RECORDS HAMILTON SCHUMACHER
When Michael Schumacher scored his 91st Formula 1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix on 1 October 2006, many of his records looked unassailable. Fernando Alonso would prevent the Ferrari legend from taking an eighth world title that season, but his seven still left him two clear of the next-best (1950s star Juan Manuel Fangio), his win tally was only one away from the combined total of the next two on the all-time list – Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna – and he also led the pole positions and fastest laps charts.
Wherever you rank Schumacher in the list of great drivers – and there are plenty who would put him number one – his career statistics are incredible. But they no longer look safe.
Lewis Hamilton overtook Schumacher’s pole record in 2017 and now stands one championship success and seven race wins away from matching the German legend. Only the less-important fastest lap mark looks out of reach: although he is second on the list, Hamilton is still 30 behind Schumacher’s tally of 77.
Given that Hamilton’s win rate has been 10 per season since the turbo-hybrid era began (see graph), it now seems likely that he will surpass the all-important 91 mark in 2020, assuming Mercedes produces another competitive car.
Although Hamilton has said “records have never really been something I’ve focused on”, he has also noted that he “can at least get close” to Schumacher’s wins record.
“It’s odd to now be the person in the TV set, and be doing something
