Schumacher? Senna? Hamilton says: “There has never been a driver like me”

Lewis Hamilton is aiming to change an unwanted statistic in 2023 as he looks to return to form in F1.

23 Jan 2023

Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W13

The seven-time world champion failed to win a race or take a pole position for the first time since making his F1 debut in 2007 during a difficult 2022 campaign.

Hamilton was also beaten by new teammate George Russell as he slumped to his worst finish in the F1 drivers’ championship amid Mercedes’ challenging start to a new era of aerodynamic regulations.

It was a year that marked Hamilton’s 300th grand prix, with the Briton ending the season on 310 starts. Curiously, no driver has ever won a race after reaching the milestone, but Hamilton is determined to change that.

“But there has never been a driver like me either,” Hamilton quipped when informed of the statistic during an interview with Formula 1 Magazine.

Hamilton opened up about his 2022 struggles and not being able to compete for the world championship after being denied a record-breaking eighth drivers’ crown in the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“We wanted to hit back after 2021,” Hamilton said. “That was what our drive came from.

“But at one point I thought, ‘God, with this car I really can't fight for the title.’

“If I can say anything about last year, it’s that as a team we’ve only become more resilient and determined.”