“It is so exciting because I remember as a kid watching Michael” : Lewis Hamilton reveals the impact Michael Schumacher made in his childhood which led to his quest for joining Ferrari
Not long ago in F1, Michael Schumacher and Ferrari were the symbol of complete dominance. The German is widely regarded as one of the best drivers in F1 history along with Lewis Hamilton, winning five consecutive F1 titles from 2000-2004, a record that stood unmatched until the Briton equaled it four years ago.
Schumacher is one of the few names in F1 that has transcended their sport, becoming a household name outside the world of motorsport and into the territories of pop culture, music, and mainstream media. The German has inspired millions to start their careers in racing, including one that may well have exceeded his greatness as well.
At the age of 40 years old, Lewis Hamilton will finally fulfil his childhood dream of racing in the Scuderia uniform. A dream which might not have become a reality if not for the impact created by the German icon. The Briton recently spoke about this to the media, as his days of being with the Silver Arrows are quickly flying away.
Lewis Hamilton proudly admits having Michael Schumacher as his idol
Speaking in a frank interview with the Times, the Briton reflected his excitement on joining the Italian giants, and how Schumacher was the role model for him to accelerate his dream further.
“It is so exciting because I remember as a kid watching Michael. Every driver watches that car and you’re like: ‘What would it be like to sit in the red cockpit?’” said the 39-year-old.
Apart from being tied at seven world championships, the careers of Hamilton and Schumacher have somewhat been crossed at different points of time. Coming out of retirement in 2010 to race for the new Mercedes F1 team, the German was asked to be the veteran alongside newcomer Nico Rosberg. The Briton had already won his first championship by that time. Schumacher did not have the greatest time with the Silver Arrows, and when he finally decided to hang his helmet for the second time in 2012, it was none other than Lewis Hamilton as his replacement at Mercedes. The rest as they say, is history.
Lewis Hamilton’s almost perfect career in F1 could very well have a fairytale ending after all, if he ends up winning his record eighth world championship, cementing himself as the undisputed greatest driver in F1 history, that too in his favourite childhood team’s cockpit. The 39-year-old is not the driver he used to be, but one can only dream.
