It has been another year littered in history for Lewis Hamilton, as he matched the record for all-time Drivers' Championships with the great Michael Schumacher.
It is still hard to talk about his legacy in the sport, as he is still an active driver with one of the best teams in Formula 1 history, and a record-breaking eighth title could follow next year.
However, is he already the man that sits as the best F1 driver of all time regardless of future success?
Hamilton Deserves Place At Top Table
It looks almost impossible to glide past the success that Hamilton has achieved on the track throughout his career, and his seventh World Championship certainly means that he is now sitting among the greats.
Right now, Hamilton would be to F1, what Secretariat represents to the TwinSpires.com Kentucky Derby, or what Michael Jordan is to NBA.
Tying Schumacher's record means that he needs to be spoken in the same breath as some of the trailblazers that came before him. However, the list of records that he holds means that he could arguably be the greatest of all-time already.
No other driver can match the number of career wins or points that Hamilton has won, while he also holds the record for the most wins at different circuits and the record for number of wins at one specific circuit.
Every record that many would have said to be unbreakable have been smashed by the British driver, with the only question now being whether he will eclipse the seven World Championships won by Schumacher and become the outright holder of that record.
Juan Manuel Fangio
Formula 1's steeped history means that there will be drivers from the first decades of its history that also deserves mention when it comes to talking about the greatest of all-time.
Fangio is one of the drivers that is constantly talked about when it comes to the best drivers of all time, as he dominated the sport throughout the first ten years.
During that time, he won five World Championships, which could be considered a greater achievement given the lack of safety measures in place during the 50s where all of his championships came.
Not just that, but he won with every team that he raced with, as the Argentine won championships with four different teams. No driver has ever been able to repeat that achievement.
Meanwhile, the great driver still holds the best win percentage in the history of F1, as he won on 46.15% of his races.
Ayrton Senna
The greatest driver of all-time may not necessarily be down to the driver that has achieved the most wins or World Championships. But, instead, it could be down to a driver that transcended a sport throughout their life and became a pioneer for the next wave of drivers that would dominate the sport.
Senna was certainly just that, and he is revered by many as the best to ever race in F1. The Brazilian won three championships during his career, including back to back successes in 1990 and 1991.
He also held the record for the most pole positions in F1 until 2006. Fans will always remember the tragic day that Senna lost his life, as he was fatally injured during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
Michael Schumacher
It is hard to talk about the greatest F1 drivers' of all-time without mentioning the man that many regard to still be the best. Schumacher dominated the sport throughout his career, and won a record seven World Championships. That includes consecutive successes between 2000 and 2004.
Michael remains the joint-record holder for most races won in a single season, and also holds the record for the fastest laps. He was revered by experts and drivers alike for getting the very best out of his cars.
