Fans often get animated in the discussion of the greatest drivers in F1. While everyone on social media has their GOATs of F1, it is rare to see real positive appreciation over there. Drivers often complain about the negativity they receive in their online communities. Though, when they see that positive appreciative comment, it can be heartwarming. That is how Lewis Hamilton felt when he sat down to react to some fan comments.

In a video feature by the Mercedes-AMG F1 channel, Lewis reacted to a comment hailing him as the GOAT of F1. To this, he replied, “Thanks, Leo. I appreciate that dude. You know it’s a conscious decision for people to decide to choose somebody to support.”

“And I’m so appreciative of that and I’m really aware of that. So your support as I said, you know for everyone that’s what gets me through the year.”

The Mercedes man usually avoids getting into social media comments. Given that he has experienced so much negativity on there, it always is a pleasant surprise to read something positive.

While Hamilton doesn’t really look toward statistics and his abilities, he carried the GOAT tag quite effortlessly. Lewis may not want people to call him the Greatest of All Time, but whenever someone does he accepts it gracefully.

Read More: Having Surpassed the Only Criteria to Crown Michael Schumacher F1 GOAT, Confident Lewis Hamilton Reignites the Ultimate Debate

Fans may call Lewis the GOAT of F1, though how do we really ascertain it? There have been so many great drivers over the history of F1 with some splendid skills and performances. And comparing two different drivers from two eras may not be the fairest of comparisons.

Is Lewis Hamilton truly the GOAT over all other Great F1 drivers?

Lewis Hamilton statistically stands above almost every driver in most of the F1 records. Be it most wins, poles, most wins outside the front row, joint-highest number of championships, and many more. But are statistics the only measure of a driver’s greatness?

While Hamilton has been impeccable in his 16 years of career in every aspect of racing; there have been several others who match his level of ability. The first name that comes to mind is Michael Schumacher. Be it race craft, qualifying pace, tire management, overtaking ability, or wet weather ability, Michael was a master of all of these racing aspects like Lewis.

Besides Schumacher, we can never leave out Ayrton Senna. Lewis’s icon and role model, Senna blew the field apart at his best. He may have only got 41 wins relative to Lewis’s 103, but the number of races today explains this huge deficit.

The statistical numbers surely reduce as we look at drivers from the early times like the 80s and 90s. Even then, the equivalence of their numbers and achievements in the present day may be unfathomable.

Like Senna, several old greats like Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Jim Clark, Juan Manuel Fangio, and the list can go on for at least 10 more drivers. They may have raced in a different period. But, the evolution of the sport has inflated statistical numbers and changed the skill sets needed.

WATCH THIS STORY: Lewis Hamilton broke Michael Schumacher’s F1 record in Bahrain

So, there can be GOAT drivers of a particular decade or two. But it is difficult to pick an all-time Greatest driver as such, considering how much F1 has changed. Still, what do you think about the GOAT debate of F1? Let us know your greatest driver picks down in the comments.