Sir Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time Formula 1 champion, is arguably the face of Formula One. His unparalleled achievements on the track are impossible to ignore. Even off the track, Hamilton has given back to society by lending his voice against various social injustices. His vocal stand even landed him trouble often, but the Briton is extremely fearless towards his beliefs.
However, Hamilton’s undivided dominance faced a threat when a young Dutch driver named Max Verstappen stepped into the world of Formula One. The young blood drove fearlessly and aggressively to dethrone Mercedes and Hamilton’s long-withstanding dominance. Having said that, a recent poll suggests that Lewis Hamilton has not lost it all.
Lewis Hamilton Picked As Fan Favorite Over Max Verstappen
Formula One drivers Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are currently the biggest names in motorsport. The duo has been at each other throats in the race to claim complete dominance over the racing track. Verstappen did manage to dethrone Hamilton by snatching away his driver’s championship in 2021. He further went on to defend it comfortably in 2022. Moreover, as the 2023 season reached its halfway stage, the Red Bull driver sits with an eight-race winning streak. On the other hand, Hamilton is struggling with his W14. Mercedes has been unable to provide a competitive car to the British driver, due to which he is lagging miles behind his Red Bull rival.
Despite Max Verstappen’s unwavering dominance, Lewis Hamilton has not lost his charm. Martin Brundle, former F1 legend, recently conducted a survey throughout the summer break wherein he asked fans to make a choice between Hamilton and Verstappen. The results were staggering. According to Brundle, 95% of F1 fans voted Lewis Hamilton as their preferred driver, whereas only 5% sided with Max Verstappen. Not only that, a fan tweet suggested that during the summer break, around 50% of articles came out about the Briton, which garnered massive viewership. Also, after the Nextflix Series “Drive To Survive” became a hit, the Mercedes ace gained 98,730 followers on Instagram, which made him the most followed person in the sport. Certainly, Hamilton is in the league on his own and is solidifying his position as an F1 legend for generations to come.
Hamilton Raises Concern Over Red Bull’s Unfaltering Dominance
Meanwhile, a struggling Lewis Hamilton is not at all comfortable with Red Bull’s perpetuating dominance. In an exclusive interview with Channel 4, the Mercedes ace said that no team should get a chance to dominate for large numbers of years in the sport of Formula One. The battle to secure the top position should be a lot closer than what it is currently.
The Briton believes that Red Bull racing stands a chance to dominate for the next three seasons, to say the least, and it’s unfortunate. It’s worth noting that Lewis Hamilton dominated Mercedes for nearly a decade before Red Bull pushed them off the throne. Is the British driver being a little hypocritical here? Or should Formula One have a better competitive edge?