Just how many more can Hamilton win?

CONGRATULATIONS TO LEWIS HAMILTON ON HIS fourth Formula 1 world title. He might not have clinched the crown the way he wanted in Mexico last weekend, but there is no doubt he is a deserving champion. This was perhaps his best season.

So where does this leave him now in the pantheon of the greats and how much more can he go on to achieve? The first part of that question will be tackled by Autosport in more depth later in the year, but it is not unreasonable to compare him with the very best drivers the sport has seen – only Michael Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio won more championships, and Hamilton is second on the GP wins list.

As for the future, there is no reason to think Hamilton won’t be in the mix again next season. The exciting thought is that Red Bull and Ferrari could maintain their current form and challenge Mercedes throughout 2018. Maybe Mclaren and Renault will join in as well, although perhaps that is asking for too much!

For now, Hamilton should enjoy retaking the crown he lost to Nico Rosberg last year. Sebastian Vettel has been a worthy adversary this season (although the brief battle between Hamilton and Fernando Alonso reminded us of what we’ve been missing over the past four seasons), but – as the German said – Hamilton deserves his success.

There were three other top performers last weekend. That Max Verstappen is a future world champion is old news, as is the fact that newly crowned five-time champion Sebastien Ogier is the current king of rallying. But Elfyn Evans’ dominant performance on Rally GB suggests there may be another star on the rise.