Hamilton’s great but it takes more to be a legend

Lewis Hamilton’s fourth Formula 1 title puts him in the pantheon of greats. Michael Schumacher’s apogee of seven titles is within sight and Juan Manuel Fangio’s five world titles is only a season away. At 32, he’s got age on his side and he is the greatest British driver ever. There’s little room for argument because the numbers are stacked in his favour — 62 race wins in 10 years. Very hard to beat that. Yet, the turbocharged history of motorsport has a way of seeing the quest for speed in jaundiced ways. Racing heroes are expected to live a dangerously charmed life — charismatic and desirable — during their dalliance with speed. Niki Lauda, Sir Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart and Ayrton Senna, even Schumacher come to mind when we speak of legends. Hamilton is a resounding success in Formula 1, and a money-spinner. His is a tried and trusted formula that has worked wonders since 2013 when he moved from McLaren to Mercedes.

It’s not that Hamilton lacks the skills. He’s got a better machine that’s leaving the rest behind to play catch up. Dominance rather than sheer brilliance can be unsettling for the sport, its competitors and the paying public. Only Sebatian Vettel is a worthy competitor to the Brit, and their rivalry is turning out to be the stuff of dreams. There’s a winning predictability about Hamilton that is dividing motorsport, and this does not mean we’re siphoning off credit from his achievements. We’re only putting his triumphs in perspective where even his best fail to satisfy the purists. There’s a ruthless streak and ambition in Hamilton, which makes him a deserving champion. What’s lacking is a spark that can transfix a generation of motorsport buffs who wish to see more human and less machine-driven performances — a certain recklessness that sets those legends apart. Hamilton is talented, his control in wet conditions is brilliant, and he can dominate a race from start to finish with elan. But his attitude has let him down repeatedly among both teammates and opponents. He’s been an ornery winner at best. Legends are not made that way.