- Piastri ranks Hamilton above F1’s greatest drivers for reasons beyond statistics.
- Piastri points to Hamilton’s conduct on track and his advocacy off it.
- Hamilton became the first driver to podium for McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari.
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri says Lewis Hamilton’s legacy goes beyond his record-breaking statistics.
Speaking to Sky Sports reporter Rachel Brookes for her new book F1 Racing Drive, the 24-year-old Australian argued that Hamilton’s clean racing and social advocacy set him apart from other all-time greats.
“Purely on stats and also outside of the stats, the impressive thing about Lewis Hamilton is not just the amount of wins and championships he has,” Piastri told Brookes via comments shared by F1 Oversteer.
“But also the way he’s gone about it, he has always been very clean on track; he has also made a very big difference in the world, using F1 as the platform.”
The GOAT debate through younger eyes
Piastri was born in April 2001, during the height of Michael Schumacher’s dominance at Ferrari. Despite growing up in that era, he showed a clear appreciation for drivers across generations.
He named Ayrton Senna as his personal standout, called Alain Prost “an incredibly impressive driver”, and said Schumacher “is hard to look past because of everything he’s won.”
That breadth of perspective is notable in a driver with only a few full seasons of F1 experience under his belt.
Why Hamilton stands apart, according to Piastri
Hamilton currently holds the records for most wins (105), pole positions (104) and podium finishes (203) in F1 history. He also shares the record of seven world championships with Schumacher.
Piastri’s argument is that those numbers only tell part of the story. He pointed to Hamilton’s conduct on track and his influence off it as qualities that not every great champion possesses.
“I think that is definitely something Lewis has that maybe not every driver in that category does,” Piastri said.
The comments carry extra weight because Piastri still races against Hamilton on the grid today.
Hamilton’s 2026 resurgence adds weight to the argument
Piastri’s praise comes at a moment when Hamilton is finding his feet at Ferrari.
The seven-time world champion finished third at the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this season, ending a podium drought that stretched back to late 2024. It was also his first podium for Ferrari.
Hamilton described the race as “one of the most enjoyable races I’ve had” and praised his wheel-to-wheel battle with Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc as “awesome, great wheel-to-wheel battle, very fair and just what we want.”
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur called the result “an important step” for Hamilton, though he acknowledged the team still has ground to make up on Mercedes.
The Chinese Grand Prix result made Hamilton the first driver in F1 history to have taken a podium for McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari. He is now 41 years old and in his 20th season in the sport.
Piastri backs Verstappen for greatness too
Piastri did not stop at Hamilton when naming the sport’s all-time greats. He also flagged Max Verstappen as a future great.
“I think Max, as well, will ultimately go down as one of the best of all time,” he said.
Piastri himself had a difficult end to 2025. He built a 34-point championship lead after winning the Dutch Grand Prix, but lost the title in the final stretch of the season. That was his first title battle, and the experience is expected to sharpen him for future campaigns.
His generous assessment of Hamilton and Verstappen, two rivals he competes against directly, reflects a certain maturity.
Piastri’s central point remains clear: Hamilton’s records are remarkable, but it is his conduct on the track and his contributions off it that may define his place in the sport’s history.
