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Lewis Hamilton aims to become the only F1 driver to win eight world championships, surpassing Michael Schumacher's seven titles. However, despite often being the favorite, he has seen the title slip away in the final race of the season in 2007, 2016, and 2021.
It is often said that “ifs” and “buts” don't change history, but those same doubts could have allowed Lewis Hamilton to surpass Michael Schumacher's record of seven world titles. While the Briton remains the most successful driver in Formula 1 history, he is still searching for his eighth championship.
2007: youthful errors in China and Brazil
In his first season in the sport's top flight, Hamilton drove the McLaren-Mercedes MP4-22 to four victories and quickly became a genuine title contender alongside his teammate Fernando Alonso, a two-time world champion, and Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen.
However, in the penultimate race in China, the rookie misjudged his entry into the pit lane, drove straight into the gravel trap and immobilized his car. This mistake cost him valuable points, with Räikkönen winning the race and Alonso finishing second. Going into the final race in Brazil, Hamilton led the championship by four points over Alonso and seven over Räikkönen. On the first lap, nerves got the better of him; he missed the Senna S-bends and fell to eighth place. Seven laps later, his McLaren stalled, and when it restarted, he had fallen to 18th place. He managed to climb back up to seventh place, while Alonso took third and Räikkönen won the race and the title, beating both McLarens by a single point.
2016: Engine fire in Malaysia
Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013 and added two more titles to his tally, competing with his teammate and rival Nico Rosberg. In 2016, the number 6 driver was more determined than ever to win another title.
The season was marked by several clashes on the track between the two drivers, and Hamilton's engine proved to be temperamental. In the 16th round in Malaysia, while leading the Grand Prix and poised to retake the championship lead, his engine caught fire. Hamilton retired, Rosberg finished third and extended his lead over his teammate to 23 points. The title fight remained open until the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi. Despite Hamilton's streak of four consecutive wins, Rosberg won the 2016 world championship thanks to his four consecutive second-place finishes, finishing five points ahead.
2021: The controversial finale to a crazy season
In 2021, Hamilton equaled Schumacher's record of seven titles, but he was eager to become the sole dominant figure in F1. The battle for an eighth title proved to be the most difficult of his career, with Max Verstappen and Red Bull giving him a run for his money throughout the season. The championship reached its climax in Abu Dhabi, with both drivers tied on points. Whoever crossed the finish line first would be crowned champion. Hamilton led the race from start to finish, fending off aggressive attacks from Red Bull. With five laps to go, Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams, bringing out the safety car. Verstappen pitted to change to soft tires, while Hamilton stayed on track with his worn hard tires. When Verstappen rejoined the race, the drivers at the back of the field (Vettel, Leclerc, Ocon, Alonso, and Norris) found themselves sandwiched between the two title contenders with one lap to go. Race director Michael Masi initially banned lapped cars from overtaking the leader, but then reversed his decision. On the final lap, Verstappen overtook Hamilton to win his first world title. Hamilton, in tears, was comforted by his father, devastated by what he called a “refereeing error” that cost him his eighth championship.
