Lewis Hamilton obliterated Damon Hill’s restrained prediction before his 2007 F1 debut with McLaren

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Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver in Formula 1 history, with seven titles to his name since making his debut for McLaren during the 2007 Australian Grand Prix.

The Briton was a surprise name on the grid for the 2007 F1 season, as McLaren opted to run a rookie with Fernando Alonso after also landing the two-time reigning champion. Hamilton rounded out McLaren’s all-new line-up, as Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya had left.

Hamilton was McLaren’s chosen son, having honed his trade from a young age in their driver development programme. The Stevenage-born star signed his first contract with McLaren in 1998, aged only 13, and went on to lift the team’s first F1 drivers’ title for nine years in 2008.

Joining Mercedes for the 2013 F1 season also put Hamilton in the best position to relish the introduction of 1.6L V6 turbo-hybrid power units in 2014. His spell at the Silver Arrows from 2013-24 saw Hamilton win the F1 drivers’ championship in 2014, ‘15, ‘17, ‘18, ‘19 and 2020.

Damon Hill restrained his prediction that Lewis Hamilton would win F1 races as a rookie

Hamilton’s seven drivers’ titles thus far put him level with Michael Schumacher for the most championship crowns in F1 history. But the Briton also holds the records for the most Grand Prix wins (105), pole positions (104) and podium results (202) in the pinnacle of motorsport.

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Yet, speaking before Hamilton’s debut in the 2007 Australian GP, 1996 champion Damon Hill restrained himself from predicting his compatriot was certain to win Grands Prix as a rookie. Hill only indicated that race wins may be possible as Ron Dennis believed in Hamilton’s skills.

Hill said during ITV’s pre-race build-up show before the 2007 Australian GP: “Lewis has had, really, a dream opportunity. It’s not been given to him, he’s earned it.

“And he’s arrived at McLaren at a time when they’re looking strong, it has to be said, the strongest they’ve looked for a long time. Teammates to a two-time world champion in his first season. So, I think it couldn’t be a better opportunity for him.

“I heard recently that Ron has not discounted the possibility of him winning a Grand Prix later in the year. Well, if Ron said that, then I think it’s fair to say that there’s a very good chance that he could be winning Grands Prix.”

Hamilton would obliterate Hill’s restrained prediction about him winning Grands Prix during the McLaren product’s rookie campaign by almost winning the 2007 drivers’ championship. Raikkonen sealed what remains Ferrari’s most recent drivers’ title by just one point in 2007.

Martin Brundle saw something ‘beautiful’ watching Lewis Hamilton’s debut F1 qualifying

Hamilton won four Grands Prix, secured six poles and reached 12 podiums from 17 races to fight for the title in his rookie campaign with McLaren. He also made the rostrum in each of his first nine Grands Prix, including on his debut after finishing the 2007 Australian GP in P3.

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Were it not for Hamilton beaching his car in the pit entry during the 2007 Chinese GP or the gearbox issue that blighted his season-finale in Brazil, then he would have won the title as a rookie. Hamilton retired from a Grand Prix for the only time in his rookie campaign in China.

The signs of Hamilton’s skills were also on display from the start, with Martin Brundle in awe of his fastest qualifying lap at the 2007 Australian GP. Hamilton qualified P4 on his debut in Melbourne with a 1:26.755 lap of Albert Park, falling just 0.262 seconds shy of Alonso in P2.

Brundle said while watching back Hamilton’s fastest lap in qualifying for the 2007 Australian GP during ITV’s pre-race show: “He has to be careful not to lock the front tyres on the way into Turn 1. He’s smooth and fluid, that’s beautiful driving, no problems at all.”

Hamilton’s rookie season next to Alonso was not without some controversy, though. Alonso believed McLaren wanted Hamilton to succeed as he was a product of their production line, leading to the Spaniard’s infamous blocking incident during qualifying for the Hungarian GP.