What car does Lewis Hamilton drive?

Lewis Hamilton, born on 7 January 1985 in Stevenage, England, is a British Formula 1 driver who debuted for McLaren in the Formula 1 World Championship in 2007 and won his first Grand Prix at the Canadian Grand Prix in the same year. Hamilton became the youngest Formula 1 World Champion in championship history when he secured the title in 2008 after just his second season. Hamilton joined Mercedes-AMG Petronas in 2013. He won six more World Championships from 2014 to 2020, winning seven. This ties him with Michael Schumacher for the most World Championships ever won. As of 2024, Hamilton has records for the most Grand Prix wins at 105, most pole positions at 104, and most podium finishes at 202. He is also the only driver to win a race in every season of his career.

Hamilton has raced in more than 300 Grands Prix and is known for his versatility and adaptability to different car regulations, including the turbo-hybrid era, which was introduced in 2014. Besides winning the championships, he has also been instrumental in Mercedes' domination of Formula 1 throughout the 2010s. He was knighted in 2021 and is a Member of the Order of the British Empire. Hamilton is currently racing for Mercedes in the 2024 season and will be racing for Scuderia Ferrari in 2025.

What car does Lewis Hamilton drive?

The Mercedes-AMG W15 E PERFORMANCE is the Formula 1 car Lewis Hamilton drove in the season of 2024. This one is a bigger leap than the previous, W14, and is better in performance and reliability. The W15 has got a new frame and gearbox cover along with better airflow for solving the problems faced during the previous seasons, particularly the rear axle being too hard to predict. The W15 has an overall length of more than 5,000 mm, a width of 2,000 mm, and a weight of 798 kg. The Mercedes-AMG F1 M15 E PERFORMANCE is the power unit used in the W15. It is a turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 hybrid engine and can reach up to 15,000 RPM. The energy recovery systems consist of the Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic (MGU-K) and Motor Generator Unit - Heat (MGU-H), which recover and use the energy during races. The car was able to output approximately 1,080 horsepower (805 kW), helping it rocket around the track. Pre-season testing saw Hamilton and his teammate George Russell saying good things about the car's stability and handling compared to the W14. The team wanted to increase downforce while reducing drag to improve performance on different tracks during the season.

As of November 2024, the Mercedes-AMG F1 W15 E PERFORMANCE had been through a mixed bag of performances in the Formula 1 World Championship. The car managed to win four races. George Russell won at the Austrian and Las Vegas Grand Prix, while Lewis Hamilton won at the British and Belgian Grand Prix. It was special for Hamilton since it was his first win since 2021 and also marked his record-breaking ninth win at the British Grand Prix. Even with those triumphs, the W15 has had a problem with being consistent. Early in the season, Mercedes had to struggle as both drivers couldn't reach the podium within the first few races. In the middle of the season, the team brought a new front wing at the Monaco Grand Prix, making the car drive better, and fixing issues such as bouncing. With that upgrade, Hamilton and Russell could go bold with driving the car, and two consecutive victories were the results.

Past Formula One Cars Driven by Lewis Hamilton

McLaren MP4-22 (2007)

McLaren's MP4-22 was the debut Formula 1 car for Lewis Hamilton in 2007. It had been developed with an extensive engineering group in McLaren that brought many of its high-performance and aerodynamic solutions. As a rookie season, he secured four race victories during his inaugural season. Some were victories like at Canadian Grand Prix for the first time in his F1 career. The MP4-22 was caught up in the "Spygate" fiasco as McLaren were penalized to be shut out of the Constructors' Championship when Hamilton finished the Drivers' Championship in third place and gathered 109 points.

McLaren MP4-23 (2008)

In 2008, Hamilton was driving the McLaren MP4-23, essentially an improvement of its predecessor with better aerodynamics and efficiency. The car won five races of the season, one being a dramatic victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix that gave him the first World Championship title. In the end, he obtained 98 points, but this time he was first by only one point in front of Felipe Massa, one of the most thrilling battles for the World Championship in F1's history.

McLaren MP4-24 (2009)

The McLaren MP4-24 was launched for the 2009 season, but this car did not have much aerodynamic downforce in comparison to its rivals like the Brawn GP. He could still win two races that season, though. Hamilton secured fifth position in the Drivers' Championship with 48 points as McLaren was not on the same page with their rivals.

Mercedes W05 Hybrid (2014)

Lewis Hamilton moved to Mercedes and drove the Mercedes-AMG F1 W05 Hybrid, in the 2014 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. This was their start to dominance in the turbo-hybrid era; the Mercedes-AMG PU106A Hybrid is its engine, a 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 with advanced energy recovery systems for over 850 horsepower at impressive fuel efficiency. The W05 Hybrid came in a lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque chassis, aerodynamic innovation solutions in a low drag profile, and efficient cooling systems for a consistent race performance throughout various circuits. The W05 Hybrid during the 2014 season won 16 out of the 19 races, with Hamilton 11, Rosberg 5. The 18 pole positions were accompanied by numerous fastest laps, pointing to the car's excellence. Hamilton secured the Drivers' Championship with 384 points, his second career victory, while Rosberg scored second with 317 points. The team won its maiden Constructors' Championship with 701 points. The W05 Hybrid is one of the most successful cars in the history of Formula 1, as it set up new standards in engineering and competition, and laid the foundation for Mercedes' winning ways in the following seasons.

Mercedes W06 Hybrid (2015)

In 2015, Hamilton drove the Mercedes W06 Hybrid, a continuation of Mercedes' dominance in Formula 1. The car had further improvements in aerodynamics and power delivery, and Hamilton managed to win ten races throughout the season. He ended up in second place in the championship standings behind his teammate Nico Rosberg, garnering 380 points.

Mercedes W07 Hybrid (2016)

The Mercedes W07 Hybrid, launched in 2016, is one of the most dominant cars in the history of F1. It won 10 races this season for Hamilton but ended the championship season in second position, losing closely to Rosberg. This car showed off the genius engineering of Mercedes, which also tallied 765 points for the Constructors' Championship.

Mercedes W08 EQ Power+ (2017)

Hamilton drove the Mercedes W08 EQ Power+ during the 2017 season, which featured significant advancements in hybrid technology and aerodynamics. This car allowed him to secure nine victories and win his fourth World Championship title with two races to spare. The W08 helped Mercedes claim another Constructors' Championship with 668 points.

Mercedes W09 EQ Power+ (2018)

In 2018, Hamilton drove the Mercedes W09 EQ Power+, an upgraded version of its predecessor. This car won eleven races throughout the season and helped him win his fifth World Championship title. The W09 was very competitive and reliable, thus helping Mercedes to amass 655 points in the Constructors' Championship.

Mercedes W10 EQ Power+ (2019)

The Mercedes W10 EQ Power+, introduced in 2019, continued its excellent pace on the racing circuit, securing eleven wins for the car, which aided Hamilton significantly in his claim to a sixth World Championship victory that same year. Overall, this car helped the team net 739 points for the Constructors' Championship.

Mercedes W11 EQ Performance ( 2020)

Hamilton drove the Mercedes W11 EQ Performance during the 2020 season, which was one of the most dominant cars in F1 history. Winning eleven races, this model helped him win his seventh World Championship title, tying him with Michael Schumacher for the most championships ever achieved.

Mercedes W12 E Performance (2021)

The Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E PERFORMANCE was driven by the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas during the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. In terms of design, the W12 is the evolution of its predecessor, the W11. The team designed the W12 to meet updated technical regulations, with updates on the floor designs to reduce downforce. Powered by the Mercedes-AMG PU106B Hybrid, the 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 hybrid power unit with advanced energy recovery systems, the car delivered more than 1,000 horsepower. The W12 had a lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque chassis with aerodynamic modifications that offset downforce reductions mandated by new regulations. The W12 also came up against stiff competition from Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing RB16B throughout the season, ultimately making it one of the closest championship battles in Formula 1 history. Hamilton took eight wins and 17 podiums. Bottas got one win and 11 podiums. The car scored nine poles and several fastest laps in aid of Mercedes' eighth consecutive Constructors' Championship, scoring 613.5 points. Hamilton lost the Drivers' Championship narrowly to Verstappen after a highly controversial finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Mercedes W13 E Performance (2022)

While the Mercedes W13 E Performance was launched for 2022 with little success on the track due to early-season porpoising issues, it still did not win any races for Hamilton that season. He had some podium placements once he sorted through those issues.

Mercedes W14 E Performance (2023)

The Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E PERFORMANCE was driven by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team in the 2023 season. It carries on the zero-pod sidepod layout of its predecessor, the W13, to optimize aerodynamics but has suffered from instability and un-reliability in terms of inconsistent performance, porpoising in particular. The Mercedes-AMG F1 M14 E PERFORMANCE has a hybrid power unit a 1.6-liter turbocharged V6, coupled with advanced energy recovery systems, powered the W14 to a minimum weight of 798 kg. Despite early-season battles with Red Bull's RB19, the W14 notched some significant successes, such as George Russell's win at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the team's sole win of the season. Mercedes ended the season at the second position in the Constructors' Championship, helped largely by multiple podium finishes along with significant mid-season updates such as a revised sidepod design and aerodynamic upgrades.