Lewis Hamilton vs Michael Schumacher: They are more similar than you think

Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher are arguably two of the greatest drivers in the history of F1. Often, both fanbases are divided when anointing either of the two as the 'GOAT.'

Lewis Hamilton fans highlight the sheer volume of achievements that the Mercedes driver has on his resume, while Michael Schumacher fans point out the German's impact on Ferrari and turning it into a championship-winning juggernaut.

The fanbase is fairly distinct with little overlap. It is also likely that fans of both falls in their unique demographic. Other than the seven world titles in common, the two F1 legends are more alike than you think.

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Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher are masters of their craft

1) Immediate impact

Michael Schumacher's debut was not remarkable, with less attention on him in the paddock. This was a German driver with a strong pedigree in his junior career but had essentially bought himself a drive in Jordan when Bertrand Gachot innocuously ended up in jail.

Michael Schumacher left a first impression that caught everyone's eye. With no experience driving a Spa Francorchamps and no experience driving a Formula 1 car, the German blitzed his teammate and qualified in 7th.

This was an astonishing turn of speed from Schumacher. Within one race, he found himself jumping to Benetton, the fourth fastest car on the grid at the time. After winning his debut race, Schumacher repeatedly proved himself on track to become F1 champion in 1994 for the first time in his career.

However, Lewis Hamilton was a McLaren protege from day 1. Many had positive things to say about the driver. Hamilton teamed up with Fernando Alonso, the reigning two-time world champion and the best driver on the grid. What followed that season was an impeccable display of blistering results in every race that left his illustrious teammate in his shadow.

Lewis Hamilton ended his rookie season as a runner-up, just one point behind Kimi Raikkonen in the championship. From this point onwards, everyone knew that Lewis Hamilton was a proven talent as he went up against the best benchmark on the grid and beat him.

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2) Career trajectory

Another thing common between the two drivers is the career trajectory the two drivers have followed.

After an initial jump into the limelight, Michael Schumacher took over the world of Formula 1 in 1994 when he became the champion. He defended the title in 1995 and then shockingly moved to Ferrari in 1996. After five years of trying, Michael Schumacher finally accomplished his goal with Ferrari and won the title in 2000. He cemented a 5-year dominant run before losing the title to Fernando Alonso.

Lewis Hamilton's initial jump into the limelight also culminated with him becoming the F1 World Champion in 2008. What followed after that was a 5-year wait before he would once again clinch the title in 2014. He went on a 7-year dominant reign (losing the title in 2016 to Rosberg) before losing the title to Max Verstappen in the 2021 F1 season.

If we take a closer look, both drivers went through a similar career trajectory where they rose to fame, won the title, had a 5-year title wait, then went on a dominant run only to lose to the next best driver.

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3) Polarizing nature of the appeal

One thing that is quite visible these days is the polarizing nature of the fanbase for Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes driver has his followers, and they are significant in number. At the same time, Hamilton also has ardent detractors. There is always a push-and-pull going on within the Hamilton bubble.

While his fans talk about what Lewis Hamilton has achieved on the track despite his humble origins, detractors detest Hamilton's virtue signaling. Many have even made YouTube videos about the social-impact message Hamilton hopes to spread. These detractors claim Hamilton's actions don't match his preaching.

Michael Schumacher had the same issue. He was a global icon as long as he stayed in the sport. He is one of the highest-paid drivers in the history of F1 and has had an unrivaled reach in pop culture. His stature has not reduced even after he pulled back from public life.

His actions on the track, where he sometimes crossed the boundaries of acceptable driving standards, made him a villain to many. They continue to call him out on those lines at every opportunity.

There are a lot of similarities between Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher. But one stands out over everything else. They transcend the sport in many ways. The two have given a lot to F1 and will go down in the books as one of the greatest to ever drive a Formula 1 car.

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Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer.