
In Formula 1, the record books do not get rewritten all that often. However, many of the great drivers such as Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Jim Clark, Juan Manuel Fangio and Lewis Hamilton claim such records and have also gone on to break them. Current World Championship leader Lewis Hamilton is in a strong position to win this year's World Championship, and between now and the end of the season he can go to either equal records set by drivers in the past, or claim them for himself.
These are some of the records:
Most wins in a season
If Hamilton were to win every race between now and the end of the season, he would equal the record of 13 wins in a season, which was achieved by Michael Schumacher in 2004 and it was also achieved by Sebastian Vettel in 2013, although Schumacher did so with 18 races that season and Vettel did so with 19 races in that season, whilst Hamilton would have done it in 21 races. Admittedly, it is no certainty that he will win every race from now to the end of the season, but given the form that he is in as well as Mercedes' form, it is not inconceivable either that he wins every race from now till the end of the season.
Most podium finishes in a season
If Hamilton were to finish on the podium in every race between now and the end of the season, he would break the record for most podiums in a season, which currently stands at 17 - Hamilton himself achieved this feat twice (in 2015 and 2016), whilst Sebastian Vettel achieved this number in 2011, and Michael Schumacher also achieved this same number in 2002, finishing on the podium in every race that year.
Given the form Mercedes are in, as well as the level at which Hamilton is driving, if he does not suffer any non-race finishes between now and the end of the season, you certainly would not put it past him that he goes on to either equal or break the record.
(Podium finish = when a driver finishes a race in either 1st, 2nd or 3rd)
Most wins from pole position in a season
It is perhaps less likely that this record will be equalled, as it would require Hamilton to win every race from now to the end of the season whilst starting on pole in every single one of them. The record is 9, which has been achieved by Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Sebastian Vettel in 2011.
Since the hybrid era began in 2014, Hamilton has achieved a total of 49 pole positions, of which he has converted 33 into race victories. Therefore, you could argue, that if he does get pole position in every race from now to the end of the season, he will more likely convert them into race victories. Having said all this, the probability of him achieving 4 wins from pole position from now to the end of the season (with 4 races left) is relatively slim since it needs to be perfect (in relative terms of course), though given the form of Mercedes, particularly in qualifying, and Hamilton's incredible single-lap pace, it is not totally inconceivable that he manages to equal the record.
Most grand chelems
A grand chelem involves winning the race from pole position, having set the fastest lap of the race, whilst leading every single lap. Now, it's extremely ambitious to suggest that he will manage to equal or break this record this year, to the extent that to suggest that he will even achieve one from now to the end of the season is quite an ambitious target. The record for most grand chelems belongs to the late Jim Clark, who achieved a total of 8 during his career.
This is a record, that, although it is theoretically possible that Hamilton may be able to equal or break the record (Hamilton has achieved 5 career grand chelems), it is highly unlikely that he does it this season, if ever at all during his career.
Most consecutive wins at the same Grand Prix
Hamilton has won the last 4 successive Grands Prix held in the United States. If he were to win the United States Grand Prix, which is the next race, it would be the fifth time in a row that he's won in the United States, equalling Ayrton Senna's record of winning the Monaco Grand Prix 5 times between 1989 and 1993. His record in Austin is so impressive, winning 5 times in 6 races held there, that you certainly would not put it past him to win this year, particularly also based on the form that both he and Mercedes are in right now.
Meanwhile, these are records which Hamilton currently holds and can continue to extend:
- Most career pole positions (he currently has 80, and every time he achieves a pole position he'll continue to extend his record)
- Most wins from pole position (he currently has won 45 races when starting from pole position, so each time he wins a race having started from pole position he'll continue to extend his record)
- Most consecutive Grand Prix starts (the record currently stands at 225, and he will extend this record still further providing he does not suffer any technical failure before the start of a race)
- Most career front row starts (i.e. starting a race from either first or second - he currently has 129, and every time he achieves a pole position or starts a race from second place he'll continue to extend his record)