F1: Michael Schumacher Still Faster Than Lewis Hamilton In This Category

Formula One icon Michael Schumacher is still faster than six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in one of the sport’s distinct categories.

The coronavirus pandemic has put Hamilton’s run for equaling Schumacher’s all-time records on hold. And as Hamilton’s fans await for what could surely be a historic moment in F1, a recent report shows that the Ferrari superstar is still ahead of Hamilton in one special category – fastest laps.

According to Autosport.com, Schumacher still holds the most fastest laps in history of Formula One, beating Hamilton 77 to 47.

Aside from title victories, pole positions and race wins, the fastest lap is another way drivers can get their names written in the sport’s record books. A fastest lap at a circuit is a record which has been reportedly put to distinction despite the fact that it emphasizes a driver's ability to push to the limit for an entire lap without losing control and focus.

The article states that “in 2019, F1 changed the scoring system so that the driver and team to set the fastest lap in a race receive an extra point - on the condition that they finish within the top ten. ” As a result, the cars of the mid-2000s retained many of the records until the last couple of years as the said records for Melbourne and Shanghai still being held by the dominant force of the time – Schumacher. The legend surprisingly managed to retain the title despite the intervening years.

The fastest lap of a race is not always set by the race winner, or even by the one who was leading the pack. In fact, besides Schumacher, who has won races and made the fastest laps at the same time, around 132 different drivers, including 12 of the competitors on the 2020 grid, have set the fastest lap of a race but the top drivers don't tend to dominate in the same way they do for wins or pole positions.

After all, Hamilton’s laps were still fascinating. For years, pundits and even some of his fellow drivers believe that the Englishman became a superstar because he has always driven the best cars. Interestingly, in terms of laps, having the fastest car has always been helpful.

With Schumacher and Hamilton topping the record book, it only goes to show the importance of having a championship-winning car's pace in setting fastest laps.

Aside from the most fastest laps in history, Schumacher also holds the title for most laps raced, racking up the no. 1 spot with 16,825 laps over his incredible career .