Lewis Hamilton is on course for his seventh World Drivers’ Championship title this year, which will put him level with the record currently held by Michael Schumacher.
The British driver is showing no signs of slowing down so he could dominate the sport for the next few years. But who is next in line to be the number one in Formula One?
We have taken a look at three young drivers who have the potential to fill Hamilton’s shoes when he retires from the sport.
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has been in F1 since 2018 and now has 52 starts under his belt. The 22-year-old has proved he belongs at that level of the sport.
2019 was a big year for the Monegasque driver as he won two races, with successes in Belgium and Italy. Although it has been a slow start for the young rider so far this season, more victories look set to follow. Leclerc is 150/1 in the latest F1 odds to win Eifel Grand Prix, the upcoming event on the calendar in the sport.
Like Hamilton, Leclerc does not lack confidence. He fully believes he will be a world champion in the future. It may not be this year but he could be the man to bring glory back to Ferrari.
Mick Schumacher
It would be a great story if Mick Schumacher, son of the seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, was to go on to win the Drivers’ Championship in F1. Given his background, there has been a lot of interest in his career from a young age.
Schumacher currently takes part in Formula Two for Prema Theodore Racing and he tops the standings with 191 points. If successful this year, it will be his second title in three years as he also won the Formula Three crown in 2018.
It won’t be long before Schumacher is competing with the best drivers in the world in Formula One – he is already affiliated with Ferrari. His father had so much success with the Italian constructor so a world championship with the racing team is something he has probably dreamed about since he started competing.
Max Verstappen
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has already achieved a lot of ‘firsts’ in the sport. At the age of 17, he was the youngest driver ever to compete in F1 when he lined up in the 2015 Australian Grand Prix. His maiden success came a year later in the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, making him the youngest winner of a race.
Verstappen is still only 22 years old, so he has enough time ahead of him to become a multiple world champion. Many pundits in the sport expect the Dutchman to replace Hamilton at Mercedes when the Brit decides to leave the sport. If that proves to be the case, he is likely to be in the best car in F1, which will help his chances massively.
One thing is for sure, the future of F1 looks bright, as there are a lot of talented drivers who are going to be around for a long time.