Lewis Hamilton and Jacques Villeneuve share one F1 rookie record that might never be beaten

Statistically, Lewis Hamilton is the greatest driver to ever grace Formula 1 as he displayed his true potential immediately in his rookie season.

Joining McLaren in 2007 to partner two-time defending champion Fernando Alonso as Kimi Raikkonen’s replacement, Hamilton had big shoes to fill in his debut campaign.

But the then 22-year-old displayed immense speed and talent as he missed out on the title to Raikkonen by one point. Hamilton would win his first championship the following year over the Finn’s Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa.

He went on to spend another four years with McLaren before moving to Mercedes in 2013. The Silver Arrows were not a title-winning package back then, but Hamilton transformed the team.

The now 40-year-old won six more championships with Mercedes between 2014 and 2020.and set the record for the most wins, podiums and pole positions. He added to the first two records in 2024 – his final season with Mercedes before moving to Ferrari – with two wins and five podiums.

Heading into 2025, only Max Verstappen looks close enough to challenge Hamilton’s accomplishments after winning his fourth title last season. Christian Danner says the only thing stopping Verstappen is if he suddenly stops enjoying being in F1.

But while those records could very well be beaten in the next few years, Hamilton achieved feats in his debut year in F1 that may never be topped.

Lewis Hamilton and Jacques Villeneuve hold the record for the most wins in a season by a rookie

Hamilton’s rookie season with McLaren in 2007 is widely regarded as one of, if not the greatest in F1 history. The Brit achieved 12 podiums and was only out of the points twice as he narrowly missed out on the championship.

Hamilton surpassed Jacques Villeneuve’s record of most podiums by a rookie – with the Canadian scoring 11 with Williams in 1996. But the duo share another record from their debut seasons.

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Within Vilenneuve and Hamilton’s respective 11 and 12 podiums in 1996 and 2007 are four wins – the most of any rookie in F1 history. Coincidentally, they both finished second in the standings before winning the championship the following year.

This accomplishment may never be matched or beaten by another driver. The simple reason is that it is rare in F1 for a rookie to make their debut with a top team – the last to do so was Oscar Piastri with McLaren in 2023 who managed one Sprint win in Qatar.

In F1’s history, only Juan Manuel Fangio and Giuseppe Farina join Hamilton and Villeneuve in winning more than one Grand Prix as a rookie. This highlights just how hard this feat will be to achieve again.

Could Lewis Hamilton and Jacques Villeneuve’s record be beaten?

In 2025, six new full-time drivers will join the grid. Only four are classified as rookies, as Liam Lawson )Red Bull) and Oliver Bearman (Haas) have already made more than three appearances in F1.

Jack Doohan (Alpine), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) will likely not have the machinery to compete for a podium – let alone four wins. Hamilton’s Mercedes replacement Andrea Kimi Antonelli stands the best chance of beating the Brit and Villeneuve’s record.

The 18-year-old will already be under pressure to deliver the results with the Silver Arrows. While he could fight for a podium or even a race win, it is unlikely the Italian will mount a serious challenge at the front, especially with George Russel as his teammate.

It is plausible within the next few years that a rookie could come through with one of the top teams and perform. But the fact no driver has come close to four wins as a rookie in 18 years suggests Hamilton and Villeneuve may have this record written in the history books for good.