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After a difficult Mexican Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton equaled Juan Manuel Fangio's record by winning his fifth Formula 1 world title. Here is a summary of his five championships.
The story currently unfolding in the paddock is less about a single race than about an entire career that is gradually approaching an unprecedented peak. At 33, Lewis Hamilton has already equaled Juan-Manuel Fangio's record of five world titles, a feat he achieved on the same Mexican circuit where, four years earlier, he joined Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel as a four-time champion. The next chapter could see him surpass Michael Schumacher's legendary record, a prospect that is exciting veterans of the sport and its fans alike.
Hamilton's statistical progress toward Schumacher's records is impressive. He already holds the record for the most pole positions in Formula 1, with 81, and needs only 23 more podium finishes to equal Schumacher's 155. Twenty more wins would see him equal the German's 91 victories. Every race now takes on historic significance.
Back in 2008 – a narrow gap After a heartbreaking second place in 2007, Hamilton started the 2008 season determined to prove his worth. The battle for the championship with Felipe Massa intensified, with both drivers winning five races each. The decisive moment came at the Brazilian Grand Prix, held on a slippery track. Massa, confident of victory, crossed the finish line first, but Hamilton overtook Timo Glock in the final corner to take fifth place and with it the title by a single point. 2014 – The Mercedes renaissance Hamilton's surprise departure from McLaren in 2013 to replace Schumacher at Mercedes sent shockwaves through the world of motorsport. Reunited with his former karting rival Nico Rosberg, the Brit found a new rhythm. After just one win and a fourth-place finish in the championship that year, he made a real statement in the 2014 season, battling his teammate to win his second world title, which he clinched in a dramatic finale in Abu Dhabi.
2015 – Domination and a symbolic gesture The following year, Hamilton won the championship in style, sealing it at the United States Grand Prix in Austin with three races to spare. A memorable image from that season shows Nico Rosberg, humiliated by his second-place finish, throwing his cap at Hamilton in the “cool room” before the podium ceremony – a visual reminder of the changing dynamics within Mercedes.
2017 – a resurgence amid fierce competition After a difficult 2016, in which his teammate turned rival Rosberg won the title, Hamilton faced a new threat from Ferrari, led by Sebastian Vettel. Luck smiled on him in Singapore, where a three-car pile-up eliminated Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, and Max Verstappen, paving the way for an unexpected victory. Two points later, at the Mexican Grand Prix, Hamilton clinched his fourth title, dashing Ferrari's hopes. 2018 – Reversing the trend against Vettel The 2018 season began with Vettel's Ferrari looking unbeatable. But Mercedes, and Hamilton in particular, improved race after race. A critical error by Vettel at the German Grand Prix turned the tide, allowing Hamilton to capitalize and win his fifth championship, once again on the streets of Mexico City. This victory not only allowed him to surpass Vettel in the history books, but also to join Fangio, who also won titles with Mercedes, and move closer to Schumacher's record of seven titles.
With each race, every pole position, every podium finish, and every victory adds another brick to Hamilton's legacy. The question now in the world of motorsports is not whether he will reach Schumacher's numbers, but when, and what new chapters will be written in the annals of Formula 1 history.
