Lewis Hamilton has mentioned his inspiration to drive in Formula 1 came from his idol Michael Schumacher on several occasions. The Brit watched the legend in the sport and soon wished to be one of the people to drive on the same tracks as him. And soon enough, this dream came true for the young Lewis Hamilton. After signing with McLaren, he went on to drive alongside Schumacher.
Around the time, Michael was driving for Mercedes after retiring once following his seventh World Championship title with Ferrari. However, he soon retired again in 2012 after driving for Mercedes for only two years. After the legendary driver’s departure, Lewis Hamilton was signed to the Mercedes team.
As of now, he continues to drive for Mercedes and also works alongside Michael Schumacher’s son, Mick Schumacher in developing the car. The Brit has stayed with the Silver Arrows team for 10 years now. In his time with the team, he has achieved record-breaking wins and has become the sole holder of many records. But it seems that Michael Schumacher had foreseen these events before Hamilton’s move to Mercedes.
Before Schumacher’s departure, he had left a statement talking about Mercedes’ “option” Lewis Hamilton. The German, retired soon after and would meet with a near-fatal head injury after a skiing accident. On the other hand, Mercedes were achieving the success they only dreamt of with Michael Schumacher.
Michael Schumacher reveals Hamilton was the reason for his retirement
Before his retirement, Schumacher left a statement mentioning Hamilton’s move to Mercedes after they set their eyes on him. The Brit had already won a Championship with McLaren a year prior. His statement quoted by Express UK read,
“I would like to thank the team for their trust and all the guys for their unconditional commitment. We all know Lewis is one of the best drivers we have around and I am sure he and the team will have a successful future. The team had an option in Lewis that helped me decide [to retire].”
And rightfully so, Lewis Hamilton, who was passed on Schumacher’s legacy through Mercedes, went on to become a seven-World Champion. He not only equaled Schumacher’s championship titles but also surpassed his total wins of 91. When he equaled his wins, nevertheless, Mick Schumacher, on behalf of his family, presented Hamilton with one of Michael Schumacher’s helmets as an honor.
The Mercedes star, who also was honored to be the only one to equal Michael’s championship wins was left speechless. Apart from being the only other driver to be a seven-time World Champion, he has won 103 races. He also has 104 pole positions and 195 podiums, making him the only driver in F1 history to achieve this milestone.
