I’ve raced Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton – I know who the better driver is
With seven world titles a piece, one of Formula One’s greatest debates is whether Lewis Hamilton or Michael Schumacher is the best to have taken to the track.
Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher
A former F1 star has weighed in on the endless debate
Lewis Hamilton is a more talented driver than Michael Schumacher, according to former F1 star Rubens Barrichello. The debate over who is the greater between the pair has long been a hot topic of conversation, particularly with them both having won seven F1 drivers’ titles a piece.
Hamilton almost moved ahead of Schumacher in 2021, only for the controversial ending to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to thwart him. As the Brit now prepares to head to Schumacher’s old hunting ground, Ferrari, he’ll be hoping to challenge at the top once more in a bid to finally reach eight titles.
That will no doubt stoke further opinion about the greatest of all time. Brazilian ace Barrichello, who raced against both, including as team-mate to Schumacher at Ferrari – has already had his say on the matter.
Hamilton better than Schumacher? I think so,” Barrichello admitted in 2020. “I competed with both but was only there in the early years of Hamilton, but I think so.”
Barrichello raced between 1993 and 2011, meaning he was around for every one of Schumacher’s championship wins, including a record-breaking five consecutive titles from 2000 until 2004. Hamilton first became world champion in 2008 but would not win another for six more years – when he went on to dominate the hybrid era, beginning in 2014