Lewis Hamilton Declared He Would Never Follow Michael Schumacher’s ‘Tainted’ Legacy: “I Want to Be Remembered as One Of the Best”

Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher are two icons of the sport. Both share mutual respect towards each other, but the Briton once stated that Schumacher’s reputation was tainted and he would like to be remembered as a fair driver once he retires.

The incident Hamilton talks about here is the infamous ‘Rascassegate.’ During the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix, Schumacher parked the car in the Rascasse corner of the track in the qualifying session. He was leading the standings in Q3, before stopping the car as a result of clocking a slow lap time.

Stewards disqualified the Ferrari legend from the qualifying session after he deliberately stopped the car to secure pole. Schumacher ultimately finished 5th in the race. However, this had an impact on his massively popular global image and affected his reputation.

Speaking ahead of the 2010 Monaco GP about this, Hamilton took a dig at the German and stated his desire to be an honest athlete, “When I think about history, it is not just about me, it is about how my family raised me, where we came from. For that to be tainted by something like that (Rascasse) would devastate me.”

READ MORE: REVEALED: The Mastermind Behind the Michael Schumacher Scandal at the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix

“When I leave F1, I want to be remembered as one of the best drivers of all time. I want to be remembered as a fair driver, a clean driver, one who always drove with his heart, who battled through thick and thin to score the points and the championships I will hopefully earn,” he said.

Lewis Hamilton reveals has respect for Michael Schumacher

Lewis Hamilton and Schumacher are the only drivers to win seven world titles. Although they had different styles and won in different generations, they shared the same desire to win. The Briton, like Schumacher, has also been involved in controversies over the years. However, he will go down as one of the best drivers in F1.

While Hamilton criticized him back in 2010, he only has respect for Schumacher. He revealed he grew up idolizing the Ferrari driver and wanted to repeat his success. After his Eifel GP win in 2020, he matched Schumacher’s record of 91 wins. As a result, Mick Schumacher presented him a special helmet as a token of appreciation.

Speaking after receiving it, he stated, “Just seeing his dominance for so long, I don’t think anyone and especially me didn’t imagine that I’d be anywhere near Michael in terms of records.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Biggest Scandals in F1 History

Hamilton has carried Schumacher’s legacy in F1 in terms of domination. He has also broken several of the German’s records. Despite his comments on ‘Rascassegate’ incident, Hamilton still has nothing but admiration for him.