F1 has hosted one of the best drivers in the world who have gone on to become multiple-time world champions. However, what if we told you that after the conclusion of the 2008 season, the driver’s championship could’ve changed forever? It was none other than former CEO of F1 Bernie Ecclestone who put forward a proposition that could’ve changed the fate of many drivers.

Ecclestone’s proposal was to change the way a driver wins the championship from points to medals. The proposal would’ve seen only the top three drivers get gold, silver, and bronze medals. And the driver with the most medals would’ve won the championship. This system wouldn’t have affected the constructors’ but would’ve changed the driver’s championship forever.

Speaking about the change, Ecclestone commented on the positive attitude of the teams on the grid. He said, “Everybody is happy with the idea, they are all very supportive.”

“I’m absolutely 100 percent sure it’s the right way to go, it’ll get them (the drivers) overtaking,” he added. The medal system would’ve definitely changed the course of F1 history. With the medal system in place from the 2008 season, Hamilton would’ve never become the youngest world champion at the time.

Ferrari man and closest rival Felipe Massa would’ve won the championship instead of the former McLaren man. Massa secured his sixth win in the final race of the season. He would’ve had one more compared to Hamilton’s five and would’ve been the champion with the medals system.

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However, the change was proposed after the 2008 season and Hamilton’s single-point win is immortalized in F1 history. Although, do you wonder how many championships the seven-time world champion would’ve won under the medals system?

How many F1 driver’s world championships would Lewis Hamilton have won with the medals system?

If Ecclestone’s suggestion of replacing points with medals would’ve passed, Hamilton’s F1 history would’ve been completely different. We would not be referring to Hamilton as a seven-time world champion. Instead, Hamilton would’ve been an eight-time world champion.

The Briton under the medals system was the undisputed winner in all his current championship-winning seasons. However, Hamilton would’ve won the 2016 championship as well, which then-teammate Nico Rosberg won. Hamilton, in the 2016 season, won ten races compared to Rosberg’s nine.

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Under the medals system, Hamilton would’ve already become the undisputed GOAT of F1 in 2020, and the 2021 season could have been a lot different.