Lewis Hamilton is preparing to reach another extraordinary Formula 1 milestone at the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, where the Ferrari driver is set to make his 400th World Championship start. The seven-time world champion will become only the second driver in the sport’s history to reach the landmark, following former McLaren team-mate and rival Fernando Alonso. The achievement comes at Interlagos, a circuit with special significance in Hamilton’s career, having hosted his dramatic first championship triumph in 2008.
Since making his debut at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix, the British driver has built one of the most successful careers in Formula 1 history. His remarkable longevity has been accompanied by an extensive collection of records, including 106 Grand Prix victories, 105 pole positions and 209 podium finishes. Yet one of the most unusual aspects of his approaching 400th appearance concerns the consistency of his participation throughout almost two decades of competition.
Lewis Hamilton reaches 400 F1 Grands Prix with remarkable starting record
Heading into the Brazilian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton has accumulated 399 race entries and 399 starts, maintaining a perfect record of starting every Formula 1 Grand Prix for which he has officially been entered.
Throughout his career, the Ferrari driver has never recorded a Did Not Start or withdrawn from a race after appearing on the entry list. The distinction is particularly notable considering the number of seasons he has contested since his arrival in Formula 1 with McLaren in 2007.
There has been only one occasion on which Hamilton missed a Grand Prix during that period. In December 2020, the British driver was forced to sit out the Sakhir Grand Prix after testing positive for COVID-19 in the days leading up to the event.
That race would have been his 266th appearance, but because Hamilton was not officially entered, the absence did not interrupt his record of having an identical number of Grand Prix entries and starts.
Assuming he takes the start at Interlagos, the seven-time champion will therefore extend that sequence to 400 races, adding another significant achievement to his extensive Formula 1 career.
Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton share special Interlagos history
By reaching the 400-race milestone, Lewis Hamilton will join Fernando Alonso in a category that previously contained only the Spanish driver.
Alonso is expected to make his 448th Grand Prix entry and 445th race start at the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, further extending his position at the top of Formula 1’s all-time participation rankings. The two former team-mates also share an important connection to Interlagos, where both secured their maiden Formula 1 World Championships.
Fernando Alonso claimed his first title with Renault in 2005 and followed that success with another championship in 2006, also decided at the Brazilian circuit.
Two years later, Hamilton secured his first World Championship at the same venue in 2008, beginning a collection of seven Drivers’ Championships that would ultimately place him alongside Michael Schumacher at the top of the sport’s all-time title rankings.
Returning to Interlagos for his 400th Grand Prix therefore carries particular significance for the Ferrari driver, connecting another career landmark with the circuit where he first became a Formula 1 world champion.
Lewis Hamilton’s career statistics before his 400th Formula 1 start
Hamilton’s longevity is only one part of his exceptional Formula 1 record. Across his first 399 Grand Prix starts, the British driver has accumulated a series of achievements that underline the scale of his success across his McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari careers.
- Grand Prix starts: 399
- World Championships: 7
- Grand Prix victories: 106
- Pole positions: 105
- Podium finishes: 209
- Fastest laps: 70
- Championship points: 5,277.50
- Laps led: 5,530
With the exception of his fastest-lap total, these figures represent Formula 1 records. They reflect both the success achieved during Hamilton’s championship-winning years and his ability to remain competitive across multiple generations of cars and regulations.
His complete career statistics, including the distinction between achievements recorded with McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari, can be explored in the Lewis Hamilton F1 records and statistics database.
Michael Schumacher’s fastest-lap record remains within reach
Although Lewis Hamilton holds numerous Formula 1 records, one particular statistic still places him behind fellow seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.
Hamilton has recorded 70 fastest race laps, leaving him seven short of Schumacher’s career total of 77. The German’s benchmark remains another significant historical target for the Ferrari driver, who has already equalled Schumacher’s record of seven Drivers’ Championships.
It is one of the relatively few major career statistics in which Hamilton has yet to reach the all-time leading figure, despite his extraordinary achievements across 399 Grands Prix.
Another landmark in Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari career
The São Paulo Grand Prix will add another chapter to Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 story as he continues competing for Ferrari. Having begun his career at McLaren, achieved six additional World Championships with Mercedes and subsequently joined the Maranello team, the British driver has experienced three distinct periods at the highest level of motorsport.
His latest milestone also provides an opportunity to reflect on the consistency that has characterised his career, from his first Formula 1 appearance in Melbourne to his approaching 400th start in Brazil.
While his continuing performances and developments at Ferrari remain a central focus, the latest Lewis Hamilton news and Ferrari career updates now accompany an increasingly remarkable collection of historical achievements.
At Interlagos, where he became a world champion for the first time in 2008, Hamilton is set to reach a landmark previously achieved only by Fernando Alonso. After 19 seasons, seven world titles and 106 victories, his 400th Grand Prix will stand as another testament to the extraordinary length and success of his Formula 1 career.
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