Autosport Plus

Hamilton exclusive: Why being F1's GOAT isn't the goal

Lewis Hamilton surpassed Michael Schumacher's all-time Formula 1 wins record in 2020, and matched his tally of world championships. But as he tells Autosport in an exclusive interview, he's more interested enacting real change than chasing records

As he turned back into the pitlane after winning the Eifel Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton put his helmeted head in his hands. His Mercedes W11 was passing underneath a gigantic LED screen showing his face alongside Michael Schumacher's - between them were emblazoned the words: "equal wins". This was the moment, nestled in a car coloured to promote a cause he cares about more than winning Formula 1 races, that Hamilton realised he had equalled a record many thought out of reach - 91 victories, Schumacher's total.

It's been eight years since Hamilton was announced as Schumacher's replacement at Mercedes. The result at the Nurburgring also put Hamilton on the brink of equalling his predecessor on seven world titles, a feat he accomplished at the Turkish GP.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.