Sunday’s triumph was also the six-time World Champion’s 88th career win, putting him on course to beat Michael Schumacher’s race win record of 91 victories, in a season where the Brit could also equal the German’s World Championship winning record of seven.
In the aftermath of Sunday’s race, Hamilton was ‘humbled’ to have beaten one of the records set by one of Formula One’s most legendary drivers.
In a post race interview, Hamilton said: “What is happening right now is far beyond what I dreamed as a kid and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I’m given.
“Michael was obviously an incredible athlete and driver and I always just feel really humbled and really honoured to be mentioned in the same light as a driver like him.”
Victory on Sunday meant that Hamilton extended his Championship lead to a massive 37-points over his closest rival Max Verstappen, putting him in an even better position for winning the title and matching Schumacher’s all-time record of World Championship wins.
This season Hamilton has the opportunity to mark his name down in sporting legend, the success story of his career being a feat many may not have even imagined possible when he joined Formula One back in 2007.
It seems that talent does recognise talent however, as it was who else but Michael Schumacher who spoke highly of Hamilton ahead of the then 22-year old’s Formula One debut in 2007.
Speaking in an interview back in 2007, he said: “He is a very talented driver, it’s not of a surprise that he’s been that successful after seeing his GP2 season last year.
“I went to watch him in Turkey and had a quick chat with him, it was a tremendous race he did over there so for me it’s not a surprise he shows up the way he is doing.
“It’s surprising he does it that consistently so early (in his career) but we cross fingers that he keeps it up.”
And that he certainly did, the young driver sealing his first of now 156 podiums in his first ever F1 appearance at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix.
He then went on to claim nine consecutive podium finishes, more than any other rookie in the sport’s history, breaking records from the off-set of his career. Throughout those nine podiums was also his first ever F1 victory at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Hamilton narrowly missed out on winning his debuting season, losing by one point to Kimi Raikkonen but made amends the following year, becoming the then youngest ever F1 World Champion at the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix.
As we look into the future, it seems there’s little in Hamilton’s way of becoming the most successful Formula One Driver of all-time and for a young lad from Stevenage, that’s not half bad.