Over two years have passed since the controversial season-finale unfolded at the exhilarating Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021. And yet, the ardent Lewis Hamilton fans across the entire world don’t seem as prepared to move on from the heartbreaking turn of events. The Briton was well and truly on course to claiming what could’ve been his record-breaking eighth world championship title.
However, the seemingly inevitable moment was somehow taken away from Hamilton by the FIA, just a few turns away from the chequered flag. Of course, Max Verstappen and other Red Bull leaders have often laughed off Mercedes’ comments, pointing out their reluctance to look forward rather than moaning about it to the media.
But, interestingly enough, it’s not just Hamilton and Co. that are struggling to let go of the painful past. There have been some incredible moments in recent years where several people publicly acknowledged Hamilton as an 8-time world champion. And by people, we don’t just mean anonymous fans. The list also features some F1 drivers like Lando Norris, world-renowned celebrities, and well, even Christian Horner himself.
Hence, take a look at some of the best instances where the F1 fraternity tried to take the limelight away from Max Verstappen.
Hilarious Lewis Hamilton moments feat. Lando Norris & Charles Leclerc
The below video features a compilation of moments where Hamilton fans and haters both intentionally and inadvertently called Hamilton an eight-time world champion. The first moment happened during a fan event when George Russell pointed his finger at Hamilton and said, “This guy has seven.”
Soon enough, one of the fans managed to call out Russell’s ‘incorrect’ calculation and replied, “8! He has 8!” Hamilton couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. The Mercedes hero was probably relieved that his entire fandom was on the same boat as his.
The next moment featured Norris during a live Twitch stream. He started off by saying, “When Lewis won his eighth champ…,” but, the self-realization moment arrived, as Norris covered his face almost instantly with a bit of laughter. The same goes with Charles Leclerc and even Red Bull F1 boss, Horner. The British team principal wasn’t even aware of the fact that he had just made a horrible error.
Overall, such has been the fame Hamilton has acquired over the years, and the fans have almost formed an unshakable shield around the seven-time world champion. Hence, can an F1 rival ever penetrate through that in the future? Only time will tell.