Lewis Hamilton set a new record at Silverstone, claiming the longest gap between his first and last Formula 1 win – Here are the top 10
Many drivers have enjoyed short-term success in Formula 1. The trick, however, is to achieve success over a longer period of time. A prime example of this is Lewis Hamilton, who has now achieved victories in Formula 1 in three different decades.
The seven-time world champion set another record with his first place at Silverstone: He has scored victories over the longest period of time in Formula 1. In other words, the longest period of time lies between his first and, for the time being, his last victory.
The victory he inherited from George Russell in Belgium extended his lead in this respect once again. Hamilton’s 105 Grand Prix victories now span more than 17 years. No other driver can match that.
Who are hot on the Mercedes driver’s heels in this respect – or actually not. Because apart from Hamilton, none of the top 10 drivers are still active, so they can’t catch up with him – unless something really wild happens and Alain Prost makes his spontaneous comeback at the age of 69.
However, one current driver could still pose a threat to Hamilton: If Fernando Alonso were to win another Grand Prix after all, he would easily overtake Hamilton, as it has been 21 years since his first victory in Hungary in 2003! However, with nine years, eight months and 18 days between his first and last victory, the Spaniard will miss out on the top 10.
Max Verstappen is unlikely to catch Hamilton’s record, as the Dutchman currently stands at just over eight years.
If he wants to overtake Hamilton, he would have to drive until at least 2033 and then win races – and it is more than uncertain that he will remain in Formula 1 beyond his contract, which currently runs until 2028.
And of course, Hamilton still has the opportunity to win more races with Mercedes and Ferrari in the coming years to further increase his margin
