Hamilton backed to catch Michael Schumacher after fifth F1 world title

Lewis Hamilton, who wrapped up the fifth driver’s title of his career in Mexico at the weekend with a fourth-place finish-having only needed to come home seventh or higher to beat Sebastian Vettel to this year’s championship, can catch Michael Schumacher won seven Formula One titles, according to BBC pundit Jolyon Palmer. “It’s so tough to say at the moment straight off the back of his fifth,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Chequered Flag podcast.  He’s got two more years we know with Mercedes, they didn’t look great they finished fourth and fifth [in Mexico]. “But they have had the dominant car since 2014 so you have to say the next two years, Hamilton will be starting certainly next year as the favourite.  That’s seven if he can get the next two, who knows thereafter. Certainly seven is within his capability. “To be a five times world champion, he’s got such a skill - I think he was born with a gift - to drive cars very, very quickly. There’s a lot of people that work very hard and Hamilton will be the same even though we hear a lot about his lifestyle outside of the car. “Inside the car, he’s just got the skill of driving cars very quickly on the limit. He doesn’t make many mistakes - he’s made almost none this year and that’s why he’s a five-time world champion.” Palmer added: “It’s so tough, he’s amongst that lot. It’s kind of irrelevant to pigeonhole him as the best of all time or one of the best of all time, he’s won five world titles - that speaks volumes. “The thing that Jacques Villeneuve said that makes Hamilton in his opinion better than Schumacher is that he’s not been controversial.  Schumacher was such a controversial driver, running into Damon Hill into 1994 to take the title in Adelaide, running into Jacques Villeneuve himself in 97 - didn’t work that time, he failed to win the championship but it wasn’t ethical driving. “Rascasse-gate in 2006 where he parked it in Monaco to try and take pole position from Fernando Alonso, not really ethical driving. Hamilton hasn’t really had any of these moments.”

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