Why Lewis Hamilton Makes Top Dollar In Formula 1

Pole Positions

Outright qualifying pace is a huge sign of raw, unadulterated talent in Formula 1. If you can outqualify a field of the world’s best drivers, it shows you are not only among the best in terms of skill. But it also indicates that you understand car setup as well as how to work with engineers to improve lap times. In this regard, Lewis Hamilton has the field absolutely trounced. 83 pole positions in 229 races put him not only in the #1 spot for total pole positions, (far surpassing Michael Schumacher) but it also gives him one of the highest ratios for any driver who has competed in Formula 1. It’s an amazing feat that justifies part of his massive pay. Qualifying is crucial.

Championships

Pole positions don’t mean a thing if you can’t convert them into race wins. Winning championships is a daunting test of attrition that comes down to making the most of every moment on the track. Hamilton knows how to maximize practice, qualifying, the race start, and the race itself in order to get every precious point he can before the end of a weekend. The result? 5 world championships across 11 years of competition. You simply can’t deny the prowess this guy possesses behind the wheel of a racing car. Being a world champion is one thing, but being able to repeat the process is where massive sponsorship dollars come into play.

>>Join the conversation about this Lewis Hamilton right here in MBWorld.org.

Always Consistent

Winning a race isn’t actually the most important goal in motorsport if you want to be a great champion. Sure, it’s part of it, but championships are all about points as mentioned previously. Being the fastest guy isn’t as important as always being on the podium which is yet another area this superstar succeeds in. Of the 229 races he’s entered, he has stood on the podium a total of 134 times. This percentage works out to 58.5% of the time. Compare to some of the other greats in the sport like Michael Schumacher (50%) and Jackie Stewart (43%) and it makes sense why Mercedes and other companies have made it a priority to have him on the team.

>>Join the conversation about this Lewis Hamilton right here in MBWorld.org.

Ross Brawn Insight

If Ross Brawn’s name sounds familiar, it’s for good reason. The larger-than-life character has been the architect behind some of the greatest F1 teams ever to race. Brawn GP was responsible for one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory so when Ross says something about a driver you might as well write it in stone. Quoted in an interview with ESPN.com, he would say of the Mercedes driver, “Even when his car was not at 100% he was able to produce some amazing drives” and “Hamilton hardly put a foot wrong, winning not only the races he should have, but also some where the opposition was stronger, and that is the true mark of a champion.” Clearly this ability to drive a car that isn’t operating in its best form is an attribute that racing teams will pay top dollar for.

>>Join the conversation about this Lewis Hamilton right here in MBWorld.org.

Pushes the Envelop

During the championship fight with Nico Rosberg, there was no shortage of team politics, not to mention politics on the race track itself. One of the final reasons Lewis Hamilton is paid an extraordinary amount of money is his unrelenting ability to fight for a race win, even if it involves some controversy. At the height of their intense rivalry, Hamilton showed he would hold his ground no matter what. Even if it put his teammate in a compromising position. This mental strength in the corners is something that can’t be taught and is something a racer either possesses or lacks. Hamilton has it in spades.

Image courtesy of eurosport.com 

>>Join the conversation about this Lewis Hamilton right here in MBWorld.org.

The Complete Racer

Lewis Hamilton is one of the most complete racing drivers that has ever entered the sport of Formula 1. From pole positions to race wins and multiple world championships, it’s clear he is not only one of the best modern racing drivers, but one of the greatest drivers of all time. The dominance Mercedes and he share is unrivaled and will take a very serious effort to contest in the years to come. But hey, that’s just what Mercedes does when it comes to motorsport: total domination.

Image courtesy of eurosport.com 

>>Join the conversation about this Lewis Hamilton right here in MBWorld.org.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our How-to section in the forum.