F1 News
Hamilton turns 40: A look back, and forward, at the icon's career so far
Lewis Hamilton, the statistically greatest F1 driver of all time, celebrates his 40th birthday on January 7. Just a few weeks before his much-anticipated Ferrari debut, the Stevenage-born Englishman celebrates the beginning of his fourth decade, which he hopes will bring success with the Scarlet Red of Ferrari. It also makes it the perfect time to look back at the incredible feats he's achieved so far in Formula 1, making him a true example of a driver who transcends the sport.
Hamilton celebrates birthday:
Lewis Hamilton was born on January 7, 1985, and today, he is making his 40th birthday. As a youngster, his father Anthony worked multiple jobs so that his son could continue his karting career. Luckily, it paid off. The Brit was signed to the McLaren-Mercedes young driver programme after attracting the attention of team principal and CEO Ron Dennis. Hamilton progressed through the junior formulae before signing for McLaren in 2007, where he finished just one point behind champion Kimi Raikkonen - A remarkable feat in his first year. Immediately out of the gates, Hamilton showed us that he had the potential to be great. He won his first world title with McLaren in dramatic fashion in Brazil just the next year. After a few years of floundering success, Hamilton moved to Mercedes for the 2013 season. Although it confused many, it turned out to be the most important move of his career. As the turbo hybrid era dawned, Hamilton would win six further world titles with the German team in an incredibly successful stint before he bode farewell to the Mercedes family in 2024.
The stats so far:
Since 2007, Hamilton has racked up seven world championships and 356 Grands Prix, winning 105—which makes him the record holder for the most victories ever in the sport. The story is much the same for podiums, where he has achieved a resounding 202. The Brit is also known for his incredible qualifying ability, as 104 poles sit on his stat sheet. Again, this is the most in history, with the second closest being the only other seven-time world champion the sport has ever seen, Michael Schumacher. The statistics speak for themselves, showing Hamilton's greatness. To truly understand his skill, his greatest performances at the 2008 British Grand Prix and 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix, among so many more, need to be recognised.
Ferrari debut imminent:
In 2025, Lewis Hamilton will make a hyped move to Ferrari. Although his move was announced almost a year ago in February, fans' excitement couldn't be higher. The Italian team is said to have conjured up a specific test programme for the Brit to acclimatise himself with previous cars. The plan is for Hamilton to test at Ferrari's home circuit of Fiorano before moving to Barcelona. After a tough year at Mercedes, where he finished seventh overall, a move to the iconic marque could provide Hamilton with a new lease of life. Despite his age, it's clear that the seven-time world champion still has a lot left to give to the sport of Formula 1. After Nino Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio and Jack Brabham, could be become the fourth driver to win a Formula 1 title in their 40s?
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels too!