It is no secret that Lewis Hamilton’s 2023 season was quite the opposite of his rookie season in Formula 1, leaving behind some of the greatest drivers behind him to finish at the very top. However, one of many times when the seven-time champion showcased his greatness was his battle with two Ferraris in the rookie season.
Mercedes has come a long way thanks to Hamilton’s switch from McLaren, helping them secure 8 consecutive Constructors Championships and adding their name to the history of motorsports. However, it was long back in his first season of F1 that the youngster showed just what he was capable of.
Lewis Hamilton’s insane battle against two Ferraris
While Hamilton has left no space for criticism considering what he has achieved in the sport, the driver has gotten used to the praises and being in the spotlight when he joined the F1 season in 2007 after getting a seat at McLaren. However, it was in that very year that he made it clear, that he was going to be one of the many great legends of the sport.
Throughout his career, the Mercedes star has won 103 races in his career, sitting at the very top with an unbroken record and 7 championship titles; although it is believed that he has 8 championship victories after a controversial 2021 season.
Nonetheless, his incredible journey in F1 started long back in 2007 when he fended off a hungry Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa just to win a podium. The Briton has showcased his capabilities and the hunger that drives it even in 2023 although he fell to the fate of the poor car performance.
Nonetheless, in 2007, a young Hamilton pulled off one of the greatest runs of his career that kickstarted a journey of endless possibilities for him. The driver held back Raikkonen and Massa in Ferrari behind him while he competed against two hungry drivers waiting for the rookie to make the smallest mistake that could get them a position.
But just as flawlessly, he left no space to let the two drivers by as they struggled to get past him, the rookie stalled the two and went on to take a podium while the reigning champion, Fernando Alonso took the race win.
Lewis Hamilton wins a championship before Felipe Massa
Hamilton was only a rookie when he won his first championship title beating Massa to it. The Briton first joined F1 in 2007 as a rookie driver for McLaren and secured a second season with the team. Although it did not seem to have fazed Felipe Massa, who only saw the newcomer as just that, the Briton had more than one trick up his sleeve.
happy birthday lewis hamilton’s first championship pic.twitter.com/Cd0k7PFCMZ
— m🫐🇵🇸 (@44minabina) November 2, 2022
After giving the Brazilian driver a trailer of his capabilities, the now seven-time champion soon went on to clinch his very first F1 title in 2008 after falling into one of the first scandals of his career that “robbed” Massa of his first title.