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The winless drivers who could be Hamilton's heirs to the F1 crown

Eventually, Lewis Hamilton's Formula 1 career will come to a close. Although the likes of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen have challenged, three drivers who are yet to score a victory could inherit the world champion's place at the pinnacle

As Lewis Hamilton lined up on the grid for the 2007 Australian Grand Prix, baby-faced and ready to shake up the Formula 1 world, the battle to be the heir to the then-retired Michael Schumacher was about to step up a gear.

Hamilton has been essentially ever-present at the front of the F1 pack since his debut, seeing off an impressive roster of names in title fights. Since the start of the V6-hybrid era, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso (the driver who ended Schumacher's reign), Daniel Ricciardo, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc have all aimed to take the fight to Hamilton, yet none of them has been able to get close to his level of performance.

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