Let’s look at Lewis Hamilton’s best F1 races since the start of his career.
As of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton has reached 350 all-time Grand Prix starts. He now sits in second place behind Fernando Alonso on 396. With seven World Championships and 105 Grand Prix wins claimed so far, here are Lewis Hamilton’s best F1 races.
Another milestone in the bag for Lewis 👊
LH has now overtaken the Iceman to second in all-time Grand Prix starts, reaching 350 in Singapore 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/QO7e6DKFFR
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 24, 2024
Canada 2007
Lewis Hamilton clinched his maiden victory for McLaren in Montreal in 2007. Widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 rookies of all time, the Briton showcased a stunningly fast start to his debut season. After five consecutive podium finishes, he looked poised for a race win.
In tricky conditions, Hamilton piled on the pressure against his teammate Fernando Alonso, further asserting his dominance. This dominance would continue throughout his career at Mercedes.
He secured his first pole position in qualifying, outpacing Alonso by nearly half a second. In the race, he fended off the Spaniard into Turn One and battled alongside Nick Heidfeld. Despite four safety car interruptions, the rookie stayed composed, delivering a memorable victory.
Great Britain 2008
If you were an F1 fan in 2008, you will likely remember this iconic moment. The Silverstone Grand Prix saw drivers spinning off the track in torrential rain, but one driver appeared unstoppable. This race stands as one of Lewis Hamilton’s best F1 victories.
Starting from P4, Hamilton quickly climbed to P2 before executing an awe-worthy overtake on his teammate Heikki Kovalainen at Becketts. From there, the Briton surged ahead, crossing the finish line over a minute clear of the field.
This victory marked the first of nine home race wins for Hamilton, as of 2024, and despite his later dominance at Mercedes, it remains one of his most commanding performances.
Hungary 2013
No one could quite believe it when Hamilton left McLaren for Mercedes. Many thought he was making a mistake, leaving a championship-winning team for the relatively unproven German outfit.
However, after Nico Rosberg showcased the W04’s pace with two wins before the Hungarian Grand Prix, Hamilton delivered his first victory for Mercedes in the style we had come to expect from him.
Beating fellow World Champions Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, Hamilton converted his pole position into a dominant win in Hungary.
This was the start of something special.
Turkey 2020
After qualifying sixth, Hamilton got off to a brilliant start at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix. However, a mistake on Lap 1, running wide onto the back straight, dropped him back to P6.
He pitted for intermediates on Lap 8 and began climbing the grid again, but another error on Lap 16, while attempting to pass Vettel, saw him slip back to sixth.
In a race that felt destined, as Hamilton chased his seventh World Championship, the race began to unfold in his favour. He moved up to fifth after Verstappen’s spin, and then to fourth as Albon followed with a similar error.
Hamilton quickly moved up to P3 after Ferrari pitted Vettel and then to P2 after Stroll made a similar call. The only driver standing between Hamilton and his seventh World Championship was Racing Point’s Sergio Pérez.
In a season where Mercedes dominated, Hamilton soon passed the Mexican driver as both utilised the grip from their worn intermediates on a drying track.
Hamilton went on to win the Turkish GP by over 30 seconds, marking his third-largest winning margin to date. This victory showcased his exceptional tyre management skills, having completed over 50 laps on the tyres he switched to on Lap 8.
He also matched Michael Schumacher‘s seven World Driver Championships.
Sao Paulo 2021
The 2021 season featured one of F1’s most iconic title battles, pitting Hamilton against Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. While many races showcased Hamilton’s racecraft that year, none felt more fitting than the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
After a DRS infringement in qualifying forced Hamilton to start from the back of the grid for Saturday’s Sprint Race, he stormed through the field to finish fifth, delivering a series of outstanding overtakes even those supporting Red Bull could not help but applaud.
His misfortune continued with a five-place grid penalty for a new engine, leaving him to start Sunday’s Grand Prix from P10.
Hamilton made an excellent start, climbing to fifth within the first five laps. By Lap 19, he overtook Sergio Pérez for P2. Passing Verstappen proved a tougher challenge, with the Dutchman fiercely defending and even forcing Hamilton off track. However, in the final laps, Hamilton finally got past his rival to secure the win.
This remarkable race cut Hamilton’s championship deficit, making every point crucial as the drivers headed into the final races of the season.
Great Britain 2024
After Hamilton’s title loss in 2021, Mercedes fell out of regular contention for race wins. Struggles with the new regulations hindered the team until this year where they secured three victories so far.
Hamilton endured 945 days and 56 Grands Prix without a win, even as his teammate George Russell triumphed at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in 2022 and the Austrian Grand Prix in 2024.
At a dramatic Silverstone race, shifting from dry to wet and back, Hamilton led multiple times. Between Laps 31 and 40, he closed the gap on Lando Norris, taking the lead by two seconds. Verstappen, on hard tyres, trailed three seconds behind Norris.
By Lap 46, Norris began to struggle, with Verstappen just 1.4 seconds behind and Hamilton 2.6 seconds ahead. With five laps to go, Verstappen was pressuring Norris, who defended fiercely.
On Lap 49, Verstappen finally overtook Norris into Stowe, moving into second and setting the fastest lap. He was now 3.4 seconds behind Hamilton with four laps remaining.
Despite the Dutchman’s charge heading into Lap 51, he was no match for Hamilton. The Briton secured his ninth home victory, ending a long winless streak in what would be his final Silverstone triumph with Mercedes.
He still can’t quite believe it! 🤩#F1 #BritishGP pic.twitter.com/kq16MqsCJR
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 7, 2024
Another to the tally in 2024?
With six races remaining with Mercedes and a move to Ferrari planned for 2025, there are sure to be many more opportunities to consider Lewis Hamilton’s Best F1 performances.
