Lewis Hamilton has left Mercedes after twelve years with the Silver Arrows. The 2025 season will see the seven-time world champion race for Ferrari in the news which shocked the paddock.
The Brit won six world championships with the Brackley-based team and secured 84 victories, the most wins for a driver with the same constructor. His time with Mercedes saw him become the most successful driver in Formula 1. But what were his based races for the Silver Arrows? We take a look in chronological order.
Hungarian Grand Prix – 2013
The Mercedes car in 2013 was not the fastest. Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel were dominating the season. Mercedes was sometimes the fourth-quickest car. However, Nico Rosberg had bagged two wins in Monaco and Silverstone, while Hamilton’s best place was third.
2013 – Lewis Hamilton#HungarianGP: Claimed maiden win for Mercedes
Championship: Finishes fourth overall pic.twitter.com/gNyxxOKk78— Formula 1 (@F1) July 19, 2024
This changed in Hungary when Lewis Hamilton stuck his car in pole position. He had already been on pole in three previous races but was yet to convert them into wins. He had Vettel next to him who had already won four races so far during the season. Hamilton would dominate the race and finished ten seconds ahead of second-placed Kimi Raikkonen to secure his first win for the Silver Arrows.
German Grand Prix – 2018
The 2018 season saw a tight battle between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel when F1 turned up in Hockenheim. However, Lewis Hamilton had a nightmare in qualifying. During the first session, his Mercedes suffered a hydraulics leak and he was unable to take part in the rest of qualifying and started from P14. In contrast, Vettel would start on pole.
Vettel led the race until lap 52. A light rain had started a few laps before, and the German locked his brakes, going straight on into the barriers. The ensuing safety car saw the leaders pit. Hamilton was about to box, until his team told him to stay out, giving him the lead of the race, and the Brit never looked back.
⚠️ SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED (LAP 52/67) ⚠️
VETTEL CRASHES OUT OF THE LEAD IN GERMANY 😱#GermanGP 🇩🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/8RVdIKoptZ
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 22, 2018
Hamilton believed this race was a turning point in the championship battle. Hamilton’s form picked up as he went on to win seven of the remaining ten races. Vettel had a slump in form as he only finished on the podium on five more occasions.
Turkish Grand Prix – 2020
Lewis Hamilton dominated the 2020 season. He finished on the podium in all but two races he took part in. This season he won his seventh and currently last world championship. He won it in Turkey but it was a crazy rain-soaked race.
Hamilton qualified in sixth place on a wet Saturday. Sunday was no better and the drivers started on the wet tyres. Hamilton started well and climbed into third but a mistake let Vettel squeeze past. Hamilton boxed for intermediate tyres on lap 8 but was still stuck down in fourth.
BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton wins the Turkish GP to clinch his seventh F1 title, equalling Michael Schumacher’s record.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 15, 2020
Most other drivers boxed again for a fresh set of tyres. However, Hamilton didn’t. He looked after his set of intermediates well and took them the remaining 50 laps. By the end, the tyres looked like slicks, showing his skills in the rain.
Brazilian Grand Prix – 2021
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were locked in a titanic battle for the championship. Brazil was a sprint weekend and Hamilton made the most of it. In qualifying, the Brit was disqualified due to a technical infringement on his DRS system. However, Hamilton would show off his overtaking masterclass.
Starting last, Hamilton breezed through the field, moving himself up to fifth place by the end of the sprint race. In contrast, Verstappen who started first lost out on the win after losing out to Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas. Hamilton would start tenth, however, due to a five-place grid penalty for exceeding his quota of internal combustion engines.
Max Verstappen 🆚 Lewis Hamilton: Wheel to wheel ⚔️
Watch the on-board footage from Verstappen’s car as he defends from Hamilton at the #BrazilGP #SkyF1 | #F1 pic.twitter.com/LliaSNt2of
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 16, 2021
Again, Hamilton moved through the field to challenge Verstappen. The two championship protagonists clashed when Max forced Lewis off the track into turn 4. However, Hamilton passed the Red Bull to clinch an unlikely but extraordinary win.
British Grand Prix – 2024
In his final season with Mercedes, Lewis was struggling. Coming into his home race, he had only stepped on the podium once. However, in the mixed conditions, both Mercedes drivers were finding their groove. George Russell stuck his car on pole with Hamilton a tenth behind in second.
Both Mercedes were comfortable until the rain arrived. Hamilton showed his wet weather skills and passed his teammate on lap 18. However, it was the McLarens which had the better pace and Norris eventually passed Lewis. When the rain eased, Hamilton and Verstappen both boxed for slicks.
LEWIS HAMILTON LEADS THE BRITISH GRAND PIX 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/IvzSYoyXXW
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 7, 2024
A lap later, leader Norris boxed for softs, as Lewis had. However, Norris exited the pits behind Hamilton after he waited too long to pit. Verstappen had changed to the hard tyre and this was the right choice. He easily passed Norris. However, Hamilton was able to look after his tyres well and was able to keep ahead of Verstappen despite the odds to claim his ninth victory at Silverstone.
