Holding the joint record for most championships won by a driver in Formula One history, Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton is vying for an 8th championship win in 2026. Off the back of a season full of struggles, Hamilton, now with a car that suits his driving style much more profoundly, has the opportunity to make history and seal his reputation as the greatest there ever was.
A career for the history books
Lewis Hamilton joined the sport in 2007 with McLaren, and, after finishing on the podium in his very first race, he immediately made his mark and showed he was a serious talent. He concluded his rookie season in second in the drivers’ championship, only one point away from becoming champion. After this incredible feat, he came back even stronger in 2008 and went on to become the youngest ever world champion at the time at only 23 years old.
After sticking with McLaren for a few more years, Hamilton took it upon himself to make the move to Mercedes in 2013. What seemed like a huge gamble at the time turned out to be the greatest decision Lewis Hamilton could have ever possibly made for his career. With new regulations coming in 2014, with what would be the start of the hybrid era in F1, Hamilton saw the promise of potential at Mercedes and took the risk that ultimately paid off. He won his first championship with the team that very same year, and he then went on to win again in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019. In addition to this, it was in 2020 that Hamilton took home his 6th championship win with Mercedes, therefore equaling the legendary Michael Schumacher with 7 career championship victories.
Heartbreak in 2021
The 2021 season saw Lewis Hamilton locked in a tight battle with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen as both drivers fought long and hard against each other all season to claim the championship title. Unfortunately for Hamilton, after leading the final race of the year and being ever so close to his dream of an 8th world championship, an incident with the safety car involving various factors saw him lose his lead to Verstappen on the very last lap, which ultimately cost him the championship. It was a highly unfair way for a driver to lose out on a championship, and with new regulations surfacing in 2022, it was unclear as to when Hamilton would get the chance to redeem what was lost.
The change from black to red
It was last season that Hamilton made the shock jump from Mercedes to Ferrari after being with the silver arrows for 12 years. What started as a childhood dream for the British driver soon became reality as the opportunity presented itself for Hamilton to race in the iconic red of a Ferrari.
However, despite his best efforts, this dream didn’t come without its struggles. Hamilton spent the best part of last season falling behind his teammate Charles Leclerc as he struggled to find a rhythm with the Ferrari car. As a result of this, his suitability to still be in the sport became the subject of much debate from the media and various members of the paddock alike, wondering whether the British driver was beyond his prime and believing he would never get back to how he once was.
Welcome back Lewis Hamilton
Going into the 20th season of his career, Lewis Hamilton seems to have gotten the spark back that makes him who he is. The new regulations, along with Hamilton being more involved in the development of the car, have allowed Ferrari to provide Hamilton with a car that really seems to suit him and his driving style. From interviews after testing in Bahrain, it became apparent that, after a tough time out last season, Hamilton seemed much more positive going into this year.
In Australia we saw Hamilton finish in P4 behind his teammate and the Mercedes drivers, which was a very positive result considering the current pace of the Mercedes cars, and he most recently finished P6 in Japan after a fairly difficult race. However, the highlight of both the season so far and his time with Ferrari has to be his long-awaited podium finish in China. After a year without even a glimpse of stepping foot on the podium, Hamilton finally achieved what he’d been dreaming of for so long. If Ferrari can maintain this current momentum, and their upgrade package for Miami lives up to its promise, Hamilton is definitely well within a shot of finally winning that 8th championship.
With 19 races still left to go in the 2026 season, it’s all to play for between the front runners. Both Mercedes and Ferrari are looking very strong this year, and with McLaren now finding their way into the mix, the season is anything but decided. However, if you’re looking for someone to bet on becoming world champion by the year’s end, a rejuvenated Sir Lewis Hamilton should certainly be considered.
Feature imagine courtesy of Formula 1