2023 F1 Season Top 10 Drivers Report: 3. Lewis Hamilton's Performance
Hamilton's Unprecedented Third-Place Finish in 2023
Sir Lewis Hamilton's second consecutive winless Formula 1 season is a statistical anomaly. However, the legendary champion finished third behind the Red Bull pair in the 2023 World Drivers' Champonship. It isn't earth-shattering news, but Hamilton, a seven-time F1 champion, had never finished third in a season.
A Glimpse into Hamilton's Career Journey
It's been well-documented that Hamilton didn't win a Grand Prix in the last two Formula 1 campaigns, breaking his 15-year streak since the start of his career winning at least a single race every season (a record).
However, for a driver with seven titles and three second-place finishes (controversy aside), having a third spot in the standings seemed like a normal stage of such a long a historied career. Still, it happened for the first time in Hamilton's 17th campaign in the grid.
Hamilton fought for the F1 championship in three of his first four seasons in the series, winning in 2008 for McLaren. Title quests in 2007 and 2010 ended in the final race of the season, with a second place in 2007 and fourth in the WDC in 2010. In between his first championship and his 2010 title challenge, Lewis Hamilton had finished fifth in 2009 with only two wins for McLaren in a bad year from the team.
Fifth in 2011, his worst season, preceded two fourth-place finishes in the standings in 2012 and 2013 (his first year with Mercedes). Hamilton then won six titles in seven campaigns from 2014 to 2020, finishing as runner-up in 2016. The 2021 controversy in Abu Dhabi put Hamilton in second place in the standings, while he was only sixth in 2022.
2023 Season Highlights
Back to 2023, the Mercedes leader still had a consistent season in the Mercedes W14 and managed to achieve decent results. Six podiums and 12 Top-5 finishes surely weren't in the cards for the W14, but Hamilton pulled it off.
He and George Russell gave the team the second spot in the World Constructors' Championship, even though the car on average seemed like the third or fourth-best in the grid throughout 2023.
Podium Finishes: Hamilton secured multiple podium finishes, including a second place at the Australian Grand Prix, which marked his first podium of the season and the 192nd of his career.
Silverstone Achievement: At the British Grand Prix, Hamilton clinched his 195th F1 podium, setting a record for the most podiums achieved by any driver at a single circuit to 14.
Hungarian Grand Prix: Hamilton achieved his 104th Pole Position, a remarkable feat and again a new F1 record.
Comparison to Teammate George Russell
George Russell, Hamilton's teammate at Mercedes, finished the season in eighth place with 175 points. While Russell had a commendable season, Hamilton outperformed him, both in terms of points and overall standings.
| Statistic | Lewis Hamilton | George Russell |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix (GP) | 22 | 22 |
| 1st Places | 0 | 0 |
| 2nd Places | 3 | 0 |
| 3rd Places | 3 | 2 |
| Podiums | 6 | 2 |
| Pole Positions | 1 | 0 |
| Laps Completed | 1268 | 1252 |
| Fastest Laps (FL) | 4 | 1 |
| Did Not Start (DNS) | 1 | 0 |
| Did Not Finish (DNF) | 1 | 3 |
| Total Points | 234 | 175 |
Low Point of the Season
Despite his overall strong performance, Hamilton's season was not without challenges. The low point arguably came in October when he first eliminated himself at the first turn of the Qatar GP by colliding with his teammate and at the United States Grand Prix, where he was disqualified, leading to a loss of valuable points in the championship race.
Hamilton's Battle with Pérez for Second Place
Hamilton fought with Red Bull's Sergio Pérez for second place in the World Drivers' Championship as well. That battle was truly out of touch with the reality of the almighty Red Bull car and the struggling Mercedes.
Still, Pérez's inconsistency put him in danger, but he ultimately grabbed P2 behind his teammate Max Verstappen. Hamilton settled in third place, comfortably beating those around him, who drove equal or even better machinery.
With one race to spare, Hamilton secured his place ahead of the likes of Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin, the Ferrari pair (Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz) and the McLaren of Lando Norris.
Conclusion
The 2023 F1 season was a test of resilience and skill for both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. While Hamilton maintained his high standards despite challenges, Russell continued to grow and adapt, showcasing his potential as a future leader in the sport. The season was a mix of highs and lows, with both drivers demonstrating why Mercedes remains a formidable team in Formula One.
Can the British champion carve out another Top 3 finish in the 2024 F1 championship?
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