Lewis Hamilton could set a new record with Ferrari at the Austin Grand Prix. Here’s what F1 fans need to know.
Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver in Formula 1 history, boasting 105 Grand Prix victories. However, since joining Ferrari, the seven-time world champion has yet to secure a podium finish, with the exceptions of the Sprint races in China and Miami. On several occasions, such as at Silverstone, a third-place finish slipped away by a very small margin. Despite a comeback drive and a bold strategy, Lewis Hamilton was unable to continue his streak of consecutive podiums at his home circuit.
This week, the drivers return to the track in Austin for the nineteenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship. It will also be a Sprint race weekend, meaning teams will have only one hour to find the optimal setup for both Saturday’s Sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion near a new record
In Texas, Lewis Hamilton could break a record that has stood for 43 years. The British driver already holds numerous positive records, the most recent of which was achieved in Singapore. At the Marina Bay circuit, despite difficulties in the closing laps, Hamilton set the fastest lap, extending his streak of seasons with at least one fastest lap to 16, surpassing Michael Schumacher.
At the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), however, Hamilton risks setting a negative record for the most races contested without a podium for Ferrari. Currently, the record is held by Didier Pironi. The French driver competed with the Maranello team for two seasons, from 1981 to 1982. He only achieved his first podium with Ferrari in his nineteenth race, which also coincided with his first victory with the Italian team. If Lewis Hamilton manages to finish at least third in Texas with Ferrari, he can equal Pironi’s record; if not, he will become the sole holder of this unwanted milestone.
The big question for fans and the team alike is whether Lewis Hamilton can secure his first podium with Ferrari and avoid making history in the wrong way. Austin represents a critical moment for the seven-time world champion as he seeks to combine strategy, pace, and skill to finally achieve a Ferrari podium and prevent a 43-year-old negative record from being his alone.
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