Birthday boy Lewis Hamilton gears up for record-breaking Formula 1 season with Silverstone, Michael Schumacher and ‘Grand Slam’ records on the line

Lewis Hamilton turns 38 as Formula 1’s most successful ever driver, but there’s still plenty left to achieve.

The British great, who is now a Sir, is preparing for his 17th season in motorsports top tier, and it could be his most historic yet.

With seven titles already to his name and the most wins and pole positions in the sport’s history, Hamilton has eclipsed many of the great Michael Schumacher’s records that previously looked unsurmountable.

Last year, though, was one of, if not Hamilton’s hardest in the sport, with Mercedes botching the new era of aerodynamic regulations, resulting in the Brits first ever winless F1 season.

The campaign began with the Stevenage-born superstar’s W13 bouncing all over the place, but it later became a race winner when teammate George Russell tasted victory in Brazil.

Hamilton may have been gutted to lose his winning run and not take the top step of the podium, but the bigger picture will have left him absolutely delighted.

Mercedes look like they could be back in 2023, with team principal Toto Wolff suggesting as much, and that may well reignite his epic rivalry with back-to-back champion Max Verstappen.

That would also present Hamilton with the chance to capture his eighth world title, taking him clear with the sport’s most championships.

But that’s not the only record the former McLaren man could capture, with his 38th year full of history-making potential.

Here’s a list of records the Brit could achieve if 2023 goes the way of the Silver Arrow:

• He could become the first driver to win an event nine times at either the Hungarian or British Grand Prix. Schumacher is currently level with eight wins at the French Grand Prix.
• Could take Schumacher’s record of most fastest laps with 77, Hamilton is currently on 61.
• He will look to beat his 17 podiums in a season, Verstappen set a new record with 18 last year.
• Beat Schumacher’s 22 ‘Grand Slams’ of pole, win and fastest lap in a race weekend. Hamilton is currently on 19.
• Third in entries and starts ahead of Rubens Barrichello [326] but behind Fernando Alonso [358] and Kimi Raikkonen [353]. Hamilton is currently on 310.
• Hamilton has another shot at matching his idol Ayrton Senna’s eight consecutive pole positions, he managed seven in 2015.
• He could record the most pole positions at the same Grand Prix with nine in either Hungary or Austria, overtaking Schumacher and Senna on eight.
• Hamilton will look to reclaim his record of most points in a season, Verstappen broke Hamilton’s 2019 record of 413 with 454 last season.
• Hamilton is fighting with Aston Martin’s Alonso for most race finishes, Alonso is on 281, Hamilton is on 280.
• Most wins from pole position, Hamilton has twice managed eight in 2017 and 2020, Vettel and Schumacher both have nine.
• The record of pole, win, fastest lap and led every lap. Hamilton has six in his career, Jim Clark astonishingly managed a record eight in only 73 races.
• Could end up as high as eighth in oldest ever pole sitters if he qualifies first in Abu Dhabi at 38 years and 322 days.