Michael Schumacher once prophesied about Lewis Hamilton winning 7 world titles! An old interview of the German driver shows him talking freely about his openness to anyone breaking his record. Arguably, nobody thought Schumacher will ever be beatable given his prolific record with Ferrari back then.
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Also, it wasn’t until Hamilton moved to Mercedes that fans saw the seven-timer potential in him. While he had already won his first world title in 2008 with McLaren, the driver did not win one again in a long while. Fans had to wait till 2014 for Sir Hamilton to lift his 2nd title again, as a new Mercedes dominant era dawned upon Formula 1.
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Schumacher, also a seven-time world champion, was a formidable rival in his days. However, when asked if someone like Lewis could break his record, he humbly replied, “I would say, absolutely yes. Because nobody thought and neither me, myself. I thought I could beat the five…and then I did and inched closer to seven. Records are there to be beaten and I’m quite relaxed that one day it will happen.”
“Whether it’s Lewis, whether it’s Massa or its Sebastian Vettel or whoever it might be, might be somebody off the current or the future that could or will do it. I’ve no problem with…”
Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher 🐐 pic.twitter.com/VTvKsURuVj
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) October 11, 2020
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Many saw a potential in Hamilton to lift the F1 trophy seven times. Understandably, Schumacher included his name on the list of possible champions. In fact, in today’s world, looking at his other achievements like most race wins and podiums, many regard Sir Hamilton to be one of the best to have graced the sport.
Can Lewis Hamilton win the defining eighth title?
2022 has been unforgiving to the Briton. The former world champion has managed only two podiums and has won no race this season. Further, the Mercedes driver has seen some shocking career lows, like getting knocked out of Q1 in a long time. However, despite the adversities, the 37-year-old has remained positive.
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The Knight’s realistic chances of winning a world title are very low this year. However, many believe that the driver can manage another title at some point irrespective of his age or car. So, can Hamilton beat Schumacher and win 8 titles?