Lewis Hamilton’s Greatest F1 Rivals: The Top 5 Battles
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Since 2007, Lewis Hamilton has battled the fiercest rivals on the F1 grid to become a 7-time world champion
These drivers pushed Lewis Hamilton to the limit with intense battles and fierce rivalries throughout his Formula 1 career
In his debut F1 season, Lewis Hamilton clashed with reigning champ Fernando Alonso at McLaren. Ignoring team orders cost them the 2007 title to Kimi Raikkonen. Alonso left in 2008, but the fierce rivalry continued for several more years
In 2007, Kimi Raikkonen won his first and only F1 title with Ferrari — their last driver’s crown so far. His close fight with rookie Lewis Hamilton went down to the final race, where a costly mistake in China handed Kimi the championship
In F1, teammates can be the toughest rivals — just like Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. After years of tension, Rosberg beat Hamilton in 2016 and retired right after, saying the pressure was too intense
Max Verstappen is the only driver to beat Lewis Hamilton at his peak. Their fierce 2021 battle ended in a dramatic Abu Dhabi finale, with Max taking the crown and dominating ever since
Sebastian Vettel, a 4-time world champion, was Hamilton’s biggest rival and close friend. From 2009 to 2019, he consistently challenged Lewis, especially during his Ferrari stint, before joining Aston Martin in 2021