Where Does Lewis Hamilton Rank on List of F1’s Greatest Drivers?

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: December 10, 2014

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The first act of Lewis Hamilton's Formula One career opened with such promise. In 2007, he won four races and nearly stole the title from his more experienced rivals, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. The following year, he did win at the final corner of the final lap of the final race.

But then followed a long second act, where Hamilton's resolve was tested both professionally and personally. Four more seasons at McLaren did not yield a finish higher than fourth in the drivers' championship.

A surprising move to Mercedes for 2013 showed flashes of promise—five pole positions, a win in Hungary—but also more of the same.

Before the 2014 season, I questioned whether Hamilton was at the same level as Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, as the best drivers of the current generation. I concluded that, at that moment, he was not. He was not known for dragging subpar cars to finishes they did not deserve, like Alonso, or for a clinical commitment to his craft, like Vettel.

Rather, Hamilton was known for his celebrity girlfriend and his flashy lifestyle—and for the effect those elements could have on his driving, per Tom Cary of The Telegraph.



But act three began, as these things sometimes do, with a change to the engine regulations. From preseason testing, it was clear that the Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid was the class of the field. In a throwback to 1961, when Ferrari got the jump on their rivals in the first year of a new engine formula, Hamilton's only serious competition for the 2014 drivers' title was his teammate, Nico Rosberg.

This year, Hamilton stayed focused, refusing to let small mistakes in qualifying here—or Rosberg ramming into him there—affect his entire season.

In Monaco, with Hamilton leading the championship, Rosberg went off at Mirabeau at the end of qualifying—perhaps on purpose, perhaps not—ruining Hamilton's final hot lap. T...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Formula 1

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