He’s the most successful Formula One driver in history, and as Lewis Hamilton prepares to make his debut for the iconic Scuderia Ferrari, many are wondering if his career will gently wind down, or if his swan song for the most famous team of all will provide us with more scintillating victories.
What often separates the good from the great is their ability to handle wet weather, and across his astonishing 105 race wins Hamilton has proved his mastery in all conditions. Here are three of his greatest wet-weather performances.
Monaco 2008
Monaco is known as the jewel in the crown of motorsport, with its lavish backdrop of opulent wealth and glamorous living. The Principality is rich in history, known for its reputation as a billionaire’s playground, as well as its bustling casino scene. Nowadays, inspired by the grandeur and fame of venues like Monte Carlo Casino, millions of players can enjoy online poker, roulette and more from anywhere in the world, not just Monaco. But the destination’s appeal does not just lie in its luxury, it also attracts sun worshippers, provided the weather holds out. It didn’t, however, in 2008.
In just his second year in F1, Hamilton provided us with an insight into his reading of conditions, as well as his ability to make a tough, and brave call, all in the face of tremendous adversity. Hamilton’s race seemed to have unravelled on lap six — after rain had lashed the track on Sunday morning, the conditions were slippery, and he clipped the barrier at Tabac.
Returning to the pits on a track notoriously difficult to overtake on, the young driver made the call to switch to slicks, and chose to stay out as all around him pitted for wet tyres. A seemingly disastrous call at the time, but the track began rapidly drying, and front-runners Felipe Massa and Robert Kubica’s pace fell away, allowing Hamilton to catch and pass as both pitted. It was a lead he held to the end, marking his first, and arguably most famous victory in the Principality.
Japan 2007
Torrential downpours at The Japanese Grand Prix 2007 recalled the finale of the 1976 season, where James Hunt won the championship. The weather was so bad that the race began under the safety car, which led for the first 19 laps, after which Hamilton made a great start and maintained his pole position over Fernando Alonso. Alonso made an error and dropped back to third, and Hamilton survived a minor collision with the fast Kubica. The Pole dropped back, allowing Alonso to recapture second, and set off in pursuit of Hamilton, still in his rookie year.
Absorbing all the Spaniard’s pressure, Hamilton drove a flawless race, keeping his bitter rival behind him until a mistake led to a heavy crash and put Alonso out of the race. Holding his nerve, Hamilton made it to the flag to secure a victory in the most treacherous of conditions, and cemented his claim to being a master of the wet.
Brazil 2016
Another race, another pole position, this time at Interlagos just outside São Paulo. Conditions in 2016 led to a total of five safety cars and two full red flags, upsetting the momentum for the drivers and leading to cold tyres and even more challenges on the track.
Through it all, Hamilton was the picture of serenity, leading from the line to the flag, putting in one of his most dominant wet weather drives. On the day the plaudits went to a young Max Verstappen, who put in an epic recovery drive after a spin to finish in third, but this surely ranks as one of Hamilton’s most assured performances in a race car.
Lewis Hamilton has displayed mastery of wet conditions from his rookie season in Formula One; not only his skill in negotiating tricky, slippery circuits, but also his tactical acumen and ability to make the right decisions under immense pressure. It’s no surprise he’s often held up as one of the greatest by many F1 pundits.
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