Lewis Hamilton has just six Grand Prix left with Mercedes, a company which will forever be close to his heart. The German manufacturer has been the driving force behind the Brit’s success in F1, as he has been powered by a Mercedes-AMG engine in all of his F1 starts. Hamilton has become the most successful driver statistically in the history of Formula 1, with 105 Grand Prix victories and seven world titles. The British star will always be recognised as a legendary figure, and here you’ll see a rundown of his entire Mercedes-powered career so far.
2007: A rookie year to be proud of
Hamilton won four races, secured six poles and finished on the podium twelve times in his debut year with McLaren Mercedes. He lost out on the title by just one point to Kimi Raikkonen. An extremely impressive showing, then, in his first year in Formula 1.
2008: A First Crown
Hamilton secured his first of seven world titles in dramatic fashion in 2008 at the last race in Interlagos. After a season-long battle with Brazilian Felipe Massa, the fresh-faced Brit came out on top. The McLaren starlet won five races, started from pole seven times, and finished on 10 occasions in 2008.
2009: A troubled year
2009 was the first year Lewis Hamilton had a car he wasn’t entirely comfortable with. He won just two races, securing five podium finishes and four pole positions also. Overall, Hamilton guided his McLaren to 5th place in the drivers’ championship.
2010-2012: Mixed success
Over the next few years, Hamilton’s various Vodafone McLaren Mercedes cars were by no means championship contenders. He finished fourth, fifth and fourth in the world championship over these three years, respectively. Still, Hamilton won 10 races over this 58-race period and stepped on the podium 22 times. Nine poles were also added to Hamilton’s stat sheet.
2013: A career-defining move
In 2013, Lewis Hamilton moved over to the Mercedes works team, which returned to Formula 1 after a long absence in 2010. The move was a shock to much of the paddock, as Mercedes had yet to prove themselves as a top contender. In 2013, Hamilton finished fourth in the world drivers championship. He won just one race but took five podium finishes and five poles in his first year.
2014-20: A legend is born
Arguably, Lewis Hamilton’s most memorable years came with Mercedes in the turbo hybrid era. The Brackely-based squad had nailed their engine development, meaning Mercedes were the team to beat. Over these seven years, Hamilton won six world titles, losing out just once to teammate Nico Rosberg in 2016. The Brit won 73 races over this period, amassing an incredible 111 podiums in 138 races. His incredible consistency was one of the key factors to his domination. The 67 pole positions secured over this time frame cannot be forgotten, either.
2021-24: ‘Never give up’ pays off
Dramatically, Hamilton lost the 2021 world championship to Max Verstappen under remarkable circumstances. On the last lap of the last race, both drivers were on equal points, but Max Verstappen triumphed after overtaking his season-long rival in the first sector of the last lap in what was one of the most controversial F1 races in history. Still, he won eight Grand Prix and stood on the rostrum 17 times, starting from first place on five occasions, too.
Between 2022-24, life for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes has been difficult. Hamilton didn’t win a Grand Prix in 2022 or 2023, as he struggled to get to grips with Mercedes’ cars of this ground effect era. Still, he secured 15 podiums and one pole over these two years.
This year, the Mercedes driver has won two Grand Prix. The first which ended his win drought was in Silverstone, much to the elation of his home fans. Hamilton also won in Spa at the Belgian Grand Prix after teammate George Russell was disqualified from the race, meaning his career tally now sits at 105 victories.
Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes career has been remarkable, and his move to Ferrari will send shockwaves through the F1 world. What can the legendary driver achieve with the illustrious Italian team? Time will tell…