Serena Williams makes controversial claim about Lewis Hamilton's F1 Drivers' Championship titles: "He should have had 9 already"

Serena Williams recently made a controversial remark about Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton's Drivers' Championships title count.

Williams' remarks came after Mercedes boss Toto Wolff stated that he was motivated by 'personal anger' in his pursuit of an eighth World Championship for the British driver.

"We are living in a hamster wheel where time passes so quickly that it doesn’t feel like it has been two years. You can see how quickly the pecking order changes. But, we have to look forward, learn from the past, and push now to make Lewis win quickly again. I have a personal anger and drive to make him win the eighth title because he should have it," he told PA News agency.

Following that, Serena Williams took to Instagram to comment on a post that shared Wolff's quotes. According to the 23-time Grand Slam champion, Lewis Hamilton, who is level with Michael Schumacher for the most titles (seven), should have had his ninth by now.

"He should have had 9 already. But...lemme be quiet," the American tennis legend wrote.

It's unclear exactly which seasons Williams was referring to when she wrote this. Many believe Hamilton would already have had 10 Drivers' Championships under his belt if things had gone his way in seasons where he missed out in the final race by small margins.

The most recent instance was when the 38-year-old lost his eighth title to Max Verstappen in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix owing to some unexpected decisions by officials.

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Lewis Hamilton paid tribute to Serena Williams after her retirement

Serena Williams pictured at the 2022 US Open

Serena Williams had a remarkable career that saw her win a whopping 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 14 Majors in doubles, and four Olympic gold medals, among other achievements.

The legendary player announced her retirement from tennis after the 2022 US Open, where she competed in both singles and doubles. Her singles campaign was cut short by Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round while she and her sister Venus Williams faced an opening round exit in doubles.

Following that, Lewis Hamilton took to Instagram to pay tribute to Serena Williams, calling her the 'greatest of all time' and saying that there would never be another tennis player like her.

"Taking a moment before the race today to show my appreciation and gratitude to the greatest of all time,@serenawilliams. We will never see another Serena. She’s one of a kind. She came through like a wrecking ball and has been so spectacular to witness," Hamilton wrote.

The Brit then mentioned how he was inspired by the Williams sisters' never-give-up attitude, which helped him in his own growth.

"I remember watching her and Venus at their first games with my dad on TV. Seeing such talented women dominating a field where no one looked like them gave me hope. They made me believe that superheroes are real, and they can look me and my family," Lewis Hamilton wrote.

"I never dreamed in a million years I would meet these heroes and come to call them my friends. I knew that I wasn’t alone because of you. I knew I could never give up because you didn’t. I can’t thank you two enough," he added.