Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton can tie the same record for the 5th time

Lewis Hamilton has an opportunity to tie an all-time Formula 1 record for what would remarkably be a fifth time in the last seven seasons.

Following last weekend, there are no more off weekends until the 2021 Formula 1 world championship battle reaches its conclusion.

The inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit are scheduled to close out the 22-race season on Sunday, December 5 and Sunday, December 12, respectively.

Entering this final two-week stretch of the F1 calendar, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen holds a slim eight-point lead over Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in the driver standings.

With Hamilton riding a two-race winning streak, he is interestingly listed as the favorite (-165) to beat Verstappen (+120) for what would be a record-breaking eighth world championship — and a record-tying fifth in a row.

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But aside from the championship battle, Hamilton also has a chance to do something that he has done four times in the last six seasons: tie the all-time record for podium finishes in a season.

This record, 17, has been achieved six times, and Hamilton is responsible for four of those six, having gone 17 for 19 in the 2015 season and then 17 for 21 in the 2016, 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Prior to Hamilton, seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher set this record by going a perfect 17 for 17 in the 2002 season en route to his fifth overall and third consecutive title.

So while it’s all cool to compare these “records”, there is probably nobody who will ever truly top Schumacher’s effort.

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel was the first driver to tie the record when went 17 for 19 in the 2011 season en route to his second overall (and consecutive) title.

However, do make note of the fact that, even if Hamilton does manage to tie this record for a fifth time, he may not actually be tying the record when he actually ties it.

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That is because Verstappen actually has 16 podium finishes to his name so far this season, meaning that he could very well become the first Formula 1 driver to ever secure 18 in a single season if he places in the top three in the season’s final two events as well.

Interestingly, there are ways by which he could do that but not win the title, provided that neither one of his two podium finishes is a victory.

Again, though, we are talking about a 22-race season, so will anybody ever really hold a candle to Schumacher’s perfect 2002 season here?

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