ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 12: Second placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 12, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Kamran Jebreili - Pool/Getty Images)
Lewis Hamilton has participated in all the editions of the Azerbaijan GP – here’s how he has fared so far
The Azerbaijan GP is relatively new on the Formula One calendar and over the years, we have seen that it is difficult to consistently perform well at the Baku City circuit.
Interestingly, the Azerbaijan GP hasn’t seen a repeat winner since its inaugural edition in 2017. Max Verstappen (2022), Sergio Perez (2021), Valtteri Bottas (2019), Lewis Hamilton (2018) and Daniel Ricciardo (2017) are the winners of the earlier editions. While none of the drivers have been able to win it for a second time, Hamilton has managed to accumulate points at a better rate than others.
Hamilton made his debut at the Azerbaijan GP in the inaugural edition in 2017 and finished in fifth place. His best performance so far at this Grand Prix came next year when he won the 2018 edition in emphatic fashion. He did very well in 2019 too, finishing second and accumulating 18 points for his team.
The Mercedes man had a disappointing outing in 2021, finishing in 15th spot while in 2022, he came back strong to finish fourth. Hamilton has accumulated a total of 65 points from five races at the Azerbaijan GP till date and it remains to be seen how many more he can add during this weekend’s race in Baku.
Lewis Hamilton’s future at Mercedes seems to be uncertain as his contract is due to expire at the end of this season and it hasn’t been renewed yet. Hamilton has made a decent start to the season, earning 38 points from three races so far but is still far off from the Red Bull duo of Verstappen and Perez.
The seven-time Champion registered fifth place finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia before an impressive second place finish at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. However, fans can’t help but wonder if Hamilton will remain at Mercedes next season.
Hamilton has a long history with Mercedes spanning close to two decades and fans certainly don’t want the association to end unceremoniously.
The Brit’s F1 career began with McLaren in 2007 but he was roped in by Mercedes as a 13-year-old, giving him his first major exposure in junior racing.
In an incredible span of 16 years in his F1 career so far, Hamilton holds the record of winning the most number of races in Formula 1 history.
The British driver’s seven World Championship titles as a driver is the joint-highest along with Michael Schumacher. Hamilton has gone down into sporting folklore as one of the greatest motor racers ever and arguably the greatest-ever Formula 1 driver.
Follow our dedicated Formula One page for instant Formula One news and updates