Music artist will.i.am has claimed that it is only ‘a matter of time’ until Lewis Hamilton claims his record-breaking eighth World Championship. The legendary Brit lost out on the title on the last lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and has been without a race win since, while Max Verstappen has dominated the sport with Red Bull.
As things stand, Hamilton stands alone in the record books when it comes to Grand Prix victories, pole positions and podiums, but the coveted record that he doesn’t hold – at least outright – is the World Championship record. Both he and Michael Schumacher are tied at the top of that particular column with seven Drivers’ Championship crowns.
Unfortunately for the Brit, the scars from the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP remain clear. Hamilton was on course for a comfortable victory over title rival Verstappen before a controversial late safety car procedure decision from Michael Masi created a last-lap shootout for the title.
Verstappen pounced on the opportunity with an audacious move at turn five, snatching the lead of the race on the final tour and claiming his maiden World Championship. Since then, Mercedes have been unable to compete with Red Bull and the Dutchman has added a further two titles to his honour list.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated, wil.i.am explained: “Anybody will struggle with something being snatched and it’s just a matter of time for him to wait, he just has to figure it out once and history’s made.
“They say just let the master do what he’s really good at. He’s figured it out a bunch of times, and this one time is gonna be history. Historical. And it’s historical for him. First, all the folks that have been inspired by him, the flock, the school, the herd, that’s going to come after him.
“It’s going to be historical for the sport. It’s going to be historical for Mercedes. And all it is. [It] is him figuring how to figure it out once and I think he’s going to do that. And then the person that comes after him, it’s gonna be some years for that record to be broken. And he will hold that forever.”
Whether or not will.i.am’s prediction will come true will depend on Mercedes’ ability to produce machinery capable of taking the fight to Red Bull and Verstappen, but for his part, Hamilton is certainly committed to the fight. The 39-year-old signed a new two-year contract last season that will keep him in the sport until the end of 2025 at the earliest.