The Briton made his F1 debut with McLaren in 2007 and secured his first championship victory a year later in 2008, but according to Sauber, he was close to starting his career in the series with his team before the deal fell through due to contract terms.

Lewis Hamilton has now been waiting more than five years to be crowned Formula 1 champion for the eighth time. Whether or not it will ever happen is up for debate, but the Briton just suffered the worst year of his career in 2025.

Lewis Hamilton has taken to the dirt during the F1 off-season, riding a 250cc enduro bike in the hills.

David Coulthard says Lewis Hamilton may no longer be at his peak as he picks Max Verstappen over the seven-time champion as his greatest F1 world champion

According to Helmut Marko, Lewis Hamilton was "a bit better" than Max Verstappen at tyre management during the 2021 season.

Lewis Hamilton burst onto the Formula 1 scene in 2007 and quickly became an icon both on and off the track. Pairing up with defending two-time champion Fernando Alonso at McLaren, Hamilton quickly established himself as a real talent.

In 2025, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen both accumulated over 420 points, meaning they face seven-figure fees in Euros ahead of the first season of the new technical regulations. McLaren ’s British driver will pay £886,042 (€1,023,658) to enter the 2026 campaign.