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Stunning wins, breathtaking battles and epic fashion moments – 40 times Lewis Hamilton showed he was an F1 icon
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Across the course of his 18 years to date in Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton has been no stranger to milestone moments; a quick scan of the record books will confirm that, with the Briton’s name at the top of many illustrious lists.
The next landmark occasion for Hamilton, however, is happening off the track as the seven-time world champion turns 40 today. To celebrate his big day, we’ve been taking a look back at – you guessed it – 40 of Hamilton’s most iconic moments during his F1 career so far.
From numerous sublime victories through to a string of record-breaking achievements, plus some notable accomplishments away from the circuit, it’s fair to say that Hamilton has crammed a lot into those 40 years – and that’s all before his next exciting chapter begins this season…
READ MORE: Hamilton ‘could not be more excited’ as he shares first message as a Ferrari driver
The big milestones
Debut pole and win, 2007 Canadian Grand Prix
After making his debut at the Australian Grand Prix back in 2007 – a race in which he finished on the podium in third – Hamilton wasted little time in bettering that result, with the Briton scoring his first pole position at Round 6 in Canada.
He followed this up with an impressive performance come race day, resulting in the McLaren driver claiming a breakthrough victory – in what would prove to be the first of a whopping 105 so far.
The first of Hamilton's 105 wins to date came at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix
Early promise at Silverstone, 2007 British Grand Prix
During his first race weekend at Silverstone as a Formula 1 driver, Hamilton hinted at what was to come in the years ahead by putting himself into pole position, beating closest rivals Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso in the process.
While this did not translate to a win on Sunday – having lost out to those aforementioned names – Hamilton did stand on the rostrum in P3, marking his first podium at his home event as well as setting a new record for the most consecutive podiums achieved in a debut season.
Title number one, 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix
Hamilton came agonisingly close to winning the drivers’ title in that first campaign, a year in which he and team mate Alonso both missed out by just one point to Raikkonen. But at the end of his sophomore season in 2008, the British driver arrived into the finale weekend in Brazil leading the championship by seven points from Ferrari’s Felipe Massa.
In what proved to be one of the most dramatic ends to a race in recent memory, Massa crossed the line to take the win and seemingly the title – only for Hamilton to climb his way up to fifth place on the final lap, the position he needed to secure the crown by just one point.
20 YEARS ON: The inside story of Lewis Hamilton’s first F1 test with McLaren
Mercedes switch pays off, 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix
After that initial championship triumph, Hamilton and McLaren could not replicate the same success in the years that followed – and the relationship came to an end when Hamilton made the somewhat unexpected decision to join the Mercedes team in 2013.
While there were some ups and downs during their first campaign together, Round 10 in Hungary saw Hamilton seal a surprise pole position at a track that did not necessarily suit the W04. A sterling drive on race day – featuring two eye-catching overtakes on Mark Webber – gave Hamilton a deserved first win with his new team, marking the beginning of a long and hugely successful partnership.
F1 TV Archive: Extended race highlights - Brazil 2008
Title glory with the Silver Arrows, 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
In 2014, Mercedes quickly found themselves in a league of their own at the front of the pack, having seemingly bettered their rivals in adapting to the sport’s new turbo-hybrid era. As such, an intra-team battle for the championship developed between Hamilton and team mate Nico Rosberg.
It was a fight that went down to the wire at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and, while Rosberg’s car suffered an Energy Recovery System failure that put paid to his chances, there were concerns for the team over whether Hamilton’s vehicle could suffer the same problem. As it was, the Briton took the chequered flag to clinch both the win and his debut title for Mercedes.
A record-equalling seventh championship, 2020 Turkish Grand Prix
The years after that brought plenty more title glory for Hamilton and Mercedes, with the pairing going on to win both championships in every season that followed up until 2021 (with the exception of 2016 where Rosberg took the drivers’ crown).
This culminated in a particularly special moment at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix, a race in which Hamilton put in a masterful drive amid wet conditions to claim the win and in the process equal Michael Schumacher’s record of being a seven-time world champion. It proved highly emotional for Hamilton, who admitted after the event that he was “lost for words”.
The memorable wins
A wet weather drive for the ages, 2008 British Grand Prix
What would any Hamilton listicle be without a mention of his first win at Silverstone, a triumph often heralded as not only one of his best wins but possibly one of the greatest performances in the sport ever.
After starting from P4 on the grid, Hamilton quickly gained two positions on the opening lap before snatching the lead from McLaren team mate Heikki Kovalainen a few tours later. From then on Hamilton was untouchable, managing the treacherous conditions amid increasingly heavy rainfall to take victory by an astonishing margin of 68.577s.
Hamilton's 2008 victory at a rain-soaked Silverstone has often been lauded as one of his greatest drives
Recovering from a strategy mishap, 2008 German Grand Prix
Two weeks on from that legendary triumph, Hamilton again looked on course to win after leading from pole position at the German Grand Prix. But when a mid-race Safety Car saw most of the field make a pit stop, McLaren opted to leave Hamilton out in a move that resulted in his previous lead diminishing.
The Briton subsequently dropped down to fifth after eventually making his stop, giving him 17 laps to try to regain those positions – and regain them he did, getting his elbows out along the way to overtake the likes of title rival Massa and Nelson Piquet Jr on his way to P1.
Returning to winning ways, 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix
The 2009 season was dominated by the Brawn GP team in the early stages while McLaren endured a tough run, with Hamilton’s best result of the first nine rounds being a P4 in Bahrain.
Round 10 in Hungary, however, signalled a dramatic turnaround in fortunes for the Woking outfit, having brought an aerodynamic upgrade to their car which seemingly helped Hamilton progress from P4 to the lead in the early stages of the race to seal his first victory since the 2008 Chinese Grand Prix. This also marked the first time that he had won on more than one occasion at the same track – one that he has gone on to be victorious at a total of eight times.
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Triumphing in a three-way victory fight, 2011 German Grand Prix
F1’s visit to the Nurburgring in 2011 was certainly a memorable one. Hamilton – who had only won one race that season up until that point – made a strong start from P2 to lead from Webber, who tried to retake the position on Lap 12 to kickstart a thrilling race-long duel.
Alonso managed to get ahead of both thanks to an overcut strategy from Ferrari, but a move from Hamilton around the outside gave P1 back to the McLaren driver. From there he held on to add what he hailed as an “even more special than usual” win to his tally.
Hamilton resisted pressure from Webber during a thrilling battle at the 2011 German Grand Prix
From P14 to P1, 2018 German Grand Prix
A hydraulic problem during qualifying left Hamilton down in P14 on the grid for the German Grand Prix in 2018, while championship rival Sebastian Vettel had taken pole position at his home event.
Cue a relentless drive from Hamilton, who picked off several drivers to work his way towards the front of the pack. The arrival of rain did nothing to stop the Mercedes man – and while Vettel dramatically crashed out of the lead, Hamilton superbly rode out the storm to score a win that few would have predicted a few hours earlier.
Paying tribute to Lauda, 2019 Monaco Grand Prix
Hamilton had initially led from pole around the streets of Monaco in 2019 but an early pit stop during a Safety Car period saw a strategic error from Mercedes, with the team bolting the medium tyres onto his car while his rivals had opted for the hard.
Cue a defensive masterclass from Hamilton as the world champion tried desperately to defend from a chasing Max Verstappen, all while trying to nurse his more fragile tyres to the end of the race. He ultimately held on to take the win and in the process paid tribute to his late friend Niki Lauda, who had passed away a few days before the race.
Winning on three wheels, 2020 British Grand Prix
When it comes to nail-biting race finishes, they don’t get much more dramatic than Hamilton’s final lap around Silverstone in 2020. The Briton looked on course to add to his extensive record of home victories for much of the event – but alarm bells started to ring when team mate Valtteri Bottas’s left front tyre delaminated in the closing stages.
Incredibly the same thing happened to Hamilton on the last lap – just as Verstappen was chasing him down on fresh rubber. This led to the unforgettable sight of Hamilton essentially driving with three wheels as he tried to make it to the finish line, where he ultimately just held enough of a gap to win.
Great Britain 2020: Listen to Hamilton's radio during Silverstone tyre drama
An emotional comeback victory, 2024 British Grand Prix
Silverstone has witnessed many a memorable Hamilton moment over the years – and perhaps one of the most emotional came in 2024, when the Mercedes driver returned to the top step of the podium for the first time in 945 days.
After going without a victory in 2022 and 2023, Hamilton had even questioned himself whether it would ever happen again. But his supreme skill in wet-dry conditions came to the fore as he mastered the weather in front of his home crowd to claim a fairytale triumph, leading to hugely emotional scenes as Hamilton celebrated his long-awaited comeback.
The record makers and breakers
Making history early on, 2007 Japanese Grand Prix
Hamilton’s first season in the sport was certainly the stuff of dreams for a rookie, having found himself fighting for the championship against the likes of Alonso and Raikkonen.
And while he ultimately fell short in that fight, the young driver did quickly put his name in the history books by taking his fourth win of the campaign in Japan, equalling Jacques Villeneuve’s record of the most wins in a debut season.
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More Silverstone success, 2016 British Grand Prix
As previously mentioned, the British Grand Prix has often been a happy hunting ground for Hamilton. This was evidently clear in 2016, when he became the first driver to score a hat-trick of wins at Silverstone since Jim Clark in the 1960s.
In the years since, Hamilton has taken more wins in the event that any other driver in history, having notched up a record nine to date.
Hamilton's return to the top step at the 2024 British Grand Prix was an emotional moment for the driver and his family
Beating Schumacher’s pole record, 2017 Italian Grand Prix
Hamilton’s run of success with Mercedes between 2014 and 2020 brought with it many achievements – and one of the first records that he made his own was that of having taken the most pole positions in the sport’s history.
At the Italian Grand Prix in 2017, Hamilton ended qualifying in P1. This handed him the 69th pole of his career, putting him ahead of Michael Schumacher’s previous long-standing record of 68. Since then Hamilton has taken his tally up to a dizzying 104.
Another Grand Slam, 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
To achieve a Grand Slam in Formula 1 – meaning that a driver claims pole position, sets the fastest lap of the race and wins after leading every lap – is an impressive feat, given that it is not an altogether frequent occurrence.
Hamilton, though, impressively achieved this for a sixth time via a dominant performance at the 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, putting him second in the list of drivers to do this. Jim Clark remains on top after scoring a record eight Grand Slams.
Ticking off the podium record, 2020 Spanish Grand Prix
The 2020 F1 season was a shortened one owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this did not stop Hamilton from smashing more records. During Round 6 in Spain, Hamilton took his fourth win of the campaign and in the process set a new record for the most podiums achieved in the sport’s history.
This was Hamilton’s 156th appearance on the rostrum, meaning that he had overtaken Michael Schumacher’s previous tally of 155. This is again a statistic that Hamilton has built on since, with the number now standing at 202.
Onboard pole position lap - Lewis Hamilton, Italy 2017
Most wins in history, 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix
Breaking records continued at pace for Hamilton in 2020. When the Portuguese Grand Prix returned to the calendar for the first time in 24 years, Hamilton claimed pole position and went on to storm to victory with a margin of 25.592s over team mate Bottas.
This was win number 92 for the Briton, handing him the illustrious record of the driver with the most victories in history after surpassing Schumacher’s 91. Reflecting on this afterwards, Hamilton said: “It’s going to take some time for [the record] to fully sink in.”
Longest run of consecutive points finishes, 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix
As well as triumphing in terms of wins, podiums and pole positions, Hamilton has displayed notable consistency over the years – so much so that he holds the record for the longest consecutive run of points finishes.
This accolade was achieved at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix – and it is a run that could ultimately have been even longer, had it not been for the seven-time champion having to miss the next round in Sakhir after testing positive for COVID-19.
The moments of brilliance
A Lap 1 overtake to remember, 2007 Australian Grand Prix
As previously highlighted, Hamilton made a memorable entrance to the sport back in 2007 – even more so after pulling off an eye-catching overtake just a few moments into his debut race.
The rookie driver had lined up in P4 on the grid but quickly made his way into P3 via a bold move around the outside of team mate – and reigning champion – Alonso into Turn 1.
Australia 2007: Hamilton lands podium in debut race
Epic battle with Rosberg, 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix
There was no shortage of tense moments between Hamilton and Rosberg during their four-year tenure as Mercedes team mates – a rivalry that was perhaps truly kickstarted in 2014 when the squad’s dominant form came to fruition.
At Round 3 in Bahrain, Hamilton built an early lead from Rosberg after overtaking the German off the line. But when that margin was lost following a Safety Car period, a thrilling battle ensued post-restart which played out right until the chequered flag, with Hamilton being the one to ultimately win the scrap and the race.
A breathtaking pole position, 2018 Singapore Grand Prix
It might be hard to choose favourites from Hamilton’s list of pole positions – there have been 104 of them, after all – but his qualifying triumph ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix in 2018 is one that stands out as truly iconic.
Mercedes did not look to be in great form during the weekend’s practice sessions, but a stunning lap from Hamilton in Q3 saw him cross the line with a time of 1m 36.015s – over three seconds up on Vettel's pole lap from 2017.
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Taking pole in treacherous conditions, 2020 Styrian Grand Prix
Another entry in the list of Hamilton’s qualifying highlights has to be his performance during a rain-affected session at the Styrian Grand Prix in 2020. While others spun off or simply struggled in the treacherous conditions, Hamilton and Verstappen looked to be in a league of their own as they traded fastest times.
Verstappen went on to spin on his final effort – but Hamilton swept through the spray and mist to better his previous time and take an awe-inspiring pole position.
Hamilton mastered the treacherous conditions during qualifying for the 2020 Styrian Grand Prix to claim pole position
Another strong recovery drive, 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix
Hamilton’s race at the Hungaroring in 2021 might best be remembered for the peculiar sight of his Mercedes being the only car to take the restart on the grid, with the rest of the field diving into the pits to bolt on slick tyres.
But it was this incident that also led to an impressive recovery drive from Hamilton, who dropped down the order after eventually pitting before working his way back through the field. He then engaged in a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle with former rival Alonso and eventually crossed the line in P2 following an all-round chaotic race.
From the back of the grid to P1, 2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
Speaking of comeback drives, Hamilton’s performance during an eventful visit to Interlagos in 2021 has to be amongst his most iconic. After being disqualified from qualifying due to a technical infringement on his rear wing, the world champion started Saturday’s Sprint from the back of the grid.
From there he pulled off an incredible 15 overtakes to end the event in P5 – and this determined drive continued on race day, where Hamilton started from P10 following a five-place grid penalty but once again battled through, this time going all the way to P1.
A karting-esque scrap to the line, 2022 British Grand Prix
In another entry on the Hamilton/Silverstone list, let’s go back to the exciting conclusion of the 2022 event. While Carlos Sainz was leading up ahead, Hamilton found himself in a close scrap with Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez for the remaining spots on the podium after a restart with just 10 laps to go.
As the final laps neared, Hamilton surged past Leclerc to haul himself up into third, sparking huge cheers from the crowd as the Briton held onto claim a hard-fought rostrum. Hamilton later praised the fight as one that was “reminiscent of the karting days”.
THROWBACK: Every Hamilton overtake at the 2021 Brazilian GP
Return to pole position, 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix
The 2022 season was not an easy one for Hamilton, with Mercedes slipping backwards in a year that saw them take just one victory – and that went to George Russell, meaning that it was the first season in which Hamilton had not won a race.
There were signs of promise, however, at the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, where Hamilton pumped in a sensational lap during qualifying to seal his first pole position since 2021. It was a lap to which the seven-time world champion admitted he had given “absolutely everything”.
Final race for Mercedes, 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
With it bringing to an end the longest and most successful partnership in the sport’s history, Hamilton’s final outing for Mercedes at the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi was bound to be emotional – but it also proved to be another eye-catching recovery drive.
A strong performance from the Briton saw him climb from P16 on the grid to a final result of P4, sealed via a stunning overtake on Russell during the last lap. It marked a fitting farewell after what was a bittersweet final campaign together for Hamilton and Mercedes.
The off-track achievements
Being unafraid of career moves
Hamilton’s decision to swap McLaren for Mercedes in 2013 raised eyebrows amongst some – and to say that the announcement of his switch to Ferrari for 2025 caused a shock in the F1 world is something of an understatement.
As the entries above highlight, we are well aware of Hamilton’s tenacity on the track – but these high-profile moves show his willingness to take risks off it too, a notable quality of the seven-time champion.
Hamilton bid an emotional farewell to Mercedes at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of his switch to Ferrari
Respectful rivalries
There have been no shortage of fierce battles for Hamilton over the years – whether it was his early rivalry with Alonso, the incredibly tense intra-team duel with Rosberg or his numerous title fights with Vettel.
But the latter in particular brought with it a respectful relationship off the track, with Hamilton and Vettel often uniting in their desire to bring awareness to various causes during recent years. Hamilton even said that he would “love” for Vettel to return when rumours swirled about a possible comeback for the German last year.
Supporting newcomers
As well as being open to the idea of his former rival returning, Hamilton has spoken of wanting to be welcoming to the host of new drivers entering the sport.
“In my position, I wanted to be different to those who were to me when I was younger,” Hamilton explained in 2024. “I want to make sure I’m being positive to them and uplifting rather than talking negatively about them, which a lot of people do, just talk negatively about young people coming through for no reason.”
Launching Mission 44
Hamilton founded Mission 44 in 2021, a charity advocating for greater representation, diversity and inclusion in motorsport to create meaningful change for young people facing social injustice through education, empowerment, and employment opportunities.
A collaboration between Mission 44 and Formula 1 was announced in 2024, with the two organisations hosting networking events and delivering outreach programmes to positively impact young people.
Mission 44 and Formula 1 launch collaboration
Family moments
During his time in the sport, Hamilton has often paid tribute to the support of his family on his journey to the top level, with the seven-time world champion bringing his loved ones onto the fan stage with him to celebrate his emotional 2024 victory at Silverstone.
A poignant moment also took place in 2022 when Hamilton’s brother Nicolas was given the opportunity to spend the day in the Mercedes team’s simulator, making him the first disabled person to do so.
Driving Senna’s car in Brazil
Another special moment for Hamilton took place during the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend, where – before a chaotic race unfolded – the Briton took his idol Ayrton Senna’s 1990 McLaren MP4/5B for a spin around the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace.
During his laps in the iconic car, Hamilton held a Brazilian flag from the cockpit and later admitted that the experience had been “very, very emotional”.
Co-chairing the Met Gala
Hamilton has long held an interest in fashion and the new Ferrari driver will act as a co-chair for the 2025 Met Gala, a benefit event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art known as one of the most prestigious evenings on the fashion calendar.
With the 2025 event set to celebrate the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’, Hamilton has stated that it is an “honour” for him to be involved alongside actor Colman Domingo, rapper A$AP Rocky, singer Pharrell Williams and Vogue’s Anna Wintour.
Hamilton will act as a co-chair at this year's Met Gala alongside the likes of Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour
Iconic paddock looks
Speaking of fashion, Hamilton is famed for putting together some striking looks when making his entrance to the paddock during a race weekend.
One of the most recent to catch the eye was his transition into a fully red outfit at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – perhaps in preparation for his move to a famously scarlet-hued team in 2025?
Involvement in the F1 movie
Another recent off-track role for Hamilton has seen him act as a producer on the upcoming F1 movie, which is set to hit screens this summer and has also been produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Brad Pitt.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the film stars Pitt as former F1 driver Sonny Hayes, who returns to the sport to partner rookie team mate Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris, at the fictional APXGP team.
Dog dad to Roscoe
And finally, how could we end this list without a mention of Roscoe? Hamilton’s famous pet dog has been a regular fixture in the paddock over the years, as well as being something of a social media sensation.
Here’s hoping that his new friendship with Charles Leclerc’s pup Leo continues to flourish this year as they prepare to share the same garage…
Roscoe has been a regular fixture in the paddock alongside Hamilton over the years
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