Lewis Hamilton sealed the 2020 World’s Drivers’ Championship yesterday at the Turkish GP, his seventh WDC title equalling Michael Schumacher’s record, with a world-class performance truly deserving of the title he had just won.
While Hamilton did not get the best qualifying result in a rain-soaked session on Saturday, starting the wet Turkish GP from 6th on the grid, the Brit managed to fire his way up the pecking order with flawless driving and pure pace, finishing the race with a lead of over half a minute – a dominating performance that truly exemplified his abilities.
Lewis Hamilton’s performance was further amplified when he lapped Mercedes-AMG F1 teammate Valtteri Bottas – the only person able to challenge the title mathematically – 12 laps from the chequered flag. Bottas had a day to forget after his tangle with Esteban Ocon at Turn 9 on lap 1 left his car damaged, making it “undriveable” for the rest of the race.
“For all the kids out there who dream the impossible, you can do it, too, man. It’s possible,” an emotional Hamilton said over the radio after he crossed the line. He later told media that he burst into tears during the cool-down lap before heading to the podium. “I really couldn’t get out of the car, because I just couldn’t believe it.”
Few ever doubted Hamilton’s chances of winning his record-equalling seventh WDC title this year, especially when the Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 is perhaps the most dominating car the team has ever made in the last seven years. However, the Brit was still left speechless after achieving the incredible feat.
“We dreamed of this when we were young and when I was young, when we were watching the Grand Prix, and this is way, way beyond our dreams. I think it’s so important for kids out there to hopefully see this and know don’t listen to anyway who says you can’t achieve something. Dream the impossible and speak it into insistence. You have to work for it, you have to chase it and never give up, and never doubt yourself.”
This year also saw Hamilton surpassing the record for the most Grand Prix wins, now increasing the lead to 94 victories, as well as the Mercedes-AMG F1 team winning their seventh consecutive constructors’ championship.
Hamilton’s future in the sport is still unclear, as the seven-time world champion has not signed a new contract with the Mercedes-AMG F1 team as of yet. The driver himself weighed in and said there’s “no guarantee” that he’ll stay in F1 for the next year. But it really doesn’t matter if he’s fighting for his eighth WDC or not – Lewis Hamilton should, and will be regarded as the best driver of our era, and even perhaps ever.
