THE F1 RECORD MICHAEL SCHUMACHER JUST LOST TO LEWIS HAMILTON
It’s a subtle but powerful statistic — a reflection not just of speed, but of longevity, consistency, and relentless excellence. In F1, where milliseconds separate legends from mortals, this record underscores Lewis’s enduring mastery across changing cars, rules, and generations of rivals.
A Record That Defines Consistency
Michael Schumacher’s record stood untouched for years. From his first full F1 season in 1992 until his initial retirement at the end of 2006, Schumacher managed to set at least one fastest lap every season — an unmatched display of dominance and adaptability through three different eras of machinery.
Lewis’s achievement mirrors that same greatness but extends even further. Since making his F1 debut in 2007, he has continued to deliver the kind of pace that defines true champions. After a difficult 2009 season — the only year in his career without a fastest lap — Lewis has produced at least one every single year since.
That’s 16 straight seasons — across McLaren, Mercedes, and now Ferrari — of showing that no matter what car he drives, raw speed never leaves him.
2007 To 2009: Learning The Limits
Lewis burst into F1 in 2007 like a comet. A rookie who immediately went toe-to-toe with two-time champion Fernando Alonso, he nearly won the championship that year and then sealed it in 2008 with McLaren. That season, he took 13 poles, nine wins, and three fastest laps — a staggering return for a 23-year-old.
But 2009 was a turning point. The new regulations and McLaren’s struggles left Lewis fighting uphill. Despite moments of brilliance, he missed out on a fastest lap — coming heartbreakingly close at Monza, where he was just 0.063s slower than Adrian Sutil.
It was a blip in an otherwise meteoric rise. And from 2010 onwards, the streak began.
2010: The Start Of Something Special
In 2010, Lewis was right in the thick of one of F1’s most chaotic title fights — four drivers fighting to the wire. He may have finished fourth overall, but in terms of outright pace, he was unmatched. Lewis clocked five fastest laps, tied with Alonso for the most that season.
He was quickest at Shanghai, Barcelona, Spa, Interlagos, and Yas Marina — each circuit a testament to his adaptability and fearless driving. This was Lewis at his best: bold on the brakes, ferocious in racecraft, and relentlessly fast even in a car that wasn’t always the quickest.
2011–2012: The Fight To Refocus
The 2011 season was perhaps one of the most frustrating of Lewis’s early career. His teammate Jenson Button had the upper hand, while Lewis faced several high-profile mistakes and on-track incidents. Still, even in that turbulent season, he recorded three fastest laps — at Barcelona, Nürburgring, and Monza — proof that his speed never truly faded.
In 2012, McLaren produced one of the fastest cars on the grid, but reliability and misfortune robbed Lewis of a title shot. His only fastest lap that year came in a chaotic, rain-soaked Brazilian Grand Prix — a fitting reminder that even in the toughest conditions, Lewis always finds a way to shine.
2013: A New Era Begins
When Lewis moved to Mercedes in 2013, critics questioned the decision. Mercedes wasn’t yet the powerhouse it would soon become. But Lewis knew something others didn’t — that the seeds of future dominance were being planted.
That year, he won in Hungary and set a fastest lap in Italy with a blistering 1:25.849 — 0.651s faster than anyone else. It was a sign of things to come. The new turbo-hybrid era was on the horizon, and Lewis was about to make it his playground.
2014–2016: The Rise Of Turbo-Hybrid Dominance
With Mercedes’ turbo-hybrid engine, Lewis and the Silver Arrows rewrote F1’s modern history. In 2014, Lewis claimed his second world title, adding seven fastest laps along the way — including dominant performances in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brazil.
The following year, 2015, was his most prolific yet: eight fastest laps, more than anyone else, across circuits like Suzuka, Silverstone, and Monza. This was peak Hamilton — pure, unstoppable precision.
Even in 2016, a year defined by intense rivalry with Nico Rosberg, Lewis clocked three fastest laps, including a razor-thin 0.066s margin over Sebastian Vettel in Monaco. It was the year he lost the championship — but not his spark.
2017–2019: The Master And The Machine
The next few years were vintage Lewis. In 2017, with Bottas as his new teammate and Ferrari providing the closest challenge yet, Lewis unleashed another seven fastest laps — proof that even under pressure, he thrived.
In 2018, he added three more, including an unforgettable one at Monza, beating Vettel by just 0.008s — the kind of margin that defines F1’s razor edge.
By 2019, the fastest lap point had returned to the championship system, and Lewis made it count with six fastest laps. At Monza, his home-away-from-home, he delivered one of his most dominant laps — a full second faster than Vettel.
It wasn’t just about points; it was a statement. The king of speed was still on his throne.
2020–2021: Domination And Drama
The COVID-hit 2020 season saw Lewis at the peak of his powers. He delivered six fastest laps again — Hungary, Silverstone, Portimão, and Imola among them — and often did so even while leading comfortably. That ability to manage a race and still have pace in hand was pure genius.
In 2021, during the intense title battle with Max Verstappen, Lewis matched his rival with six fastest laps. The margins were microscopic, and each one mattered — especially as the championship went down to that heartbreaking Abu Dhabi finale.
Even when rivals stole a few with late pit stops, the consistency of his performance across the season was undeniable.
2022–2023: New Cars, Same Speed
The new ground-effect era of F1 wasn’t kind to Mercedes, but Lewis still found ways to leave his mark. In 2022, he took two fastest laps — Silverstone and the Hungaroring — both earned on merit rather than strategy.
Then in 2023, as the team continued to struggle, Lewis delivered four more fastest laps, including Monaco and Singapore. Even without victories, his speed was never in question. At 38, he was still faster than many half his age.
2024–2025: A New Chapter With Ferrari
2024 was Lewis’s final year with Mercedes, and though the partnership was ending, the class remained. He claimed two fastest laps — Monaco and Canada — both secured through his signature late-race bursts.
Then came 2025, his debut year with Ferrari. While the partnership is still finding its footing, Lewis already made history. At the Singapore Grand Prix, he clocked a stunning 1m33.808s, a massive 0.765s faster than anyone else.
That lap didn’t just give Ferrari its highlight of the season — it also sealed Lewis’s 16th consecutive season with at least one fastest lap, breaking Schumacher’s all-time record.
It was more than just another stat. It was a statement — Lewis Hamilton, even at 40, remains one of the fastest men to ever drive a Formula 1 car.
The Legend Of Speed Continues
Schumacher still holds the overall record for most fastest laps in F1 (77), with Lewis close behind on 68. But while numbers tell part of the story, the emotion behind them tells the rest.
Fastest laps are often overlooked compared to wins or poles. But they reflect something deeper — pure pace, unfiltered by strategy or circumstance. They show when a driver decides to go all out, to squeeze every last ounce of performance from man and machine.
And nobody has done that, over such a long and changing career, quite like Lewis.
From Rookie To Icon
From a fresh-faced McLaren rookie in 2007 to a seasoned Ferrari veteran in 2025, Lewis’s journey is one of relentless excellence. Every fastest lap tells a piece of that story — from his aggressive early years to his mature, calculated brilliance today.
Sixteen seasons of fastest laps isn’t just about speed; it’s about evolution. It’s about a driver who’s adapted to new engines, new rivals, and entirely new eras — yet continues to find performance when it matters most.
The Final Word
In a sport where everything changes — the cars, the rules, even the rivalries — some things remain eternal. For F1 fans, seeing Lewis still setting fastest laps after nearly two decades is a reminder of why we fell in love with the sport in the first place.
Because sometimes, amid all the politics and strategy, Formula 1 still comes down to one thing: a driver, a car, and one perfect lap. And when that happens, more often than not, it’s Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel.
If you enjoyed this post, please do share it with your network so more people can enjoy it as well. Also, check out my Lewis Hamilton inspired designs at my online shop here - https://www.redbubble.com/people/akhnsx/explore
Comments