Lewis Hamilton: Michael Schumacher records still seem so far away

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton: Schumacher records still seem so far away

Title six secured!

Matthew Scott

Monday 4 November 2019 18:00

Lewis Hamilton says the prospect of matching Michael Schumacher's record of seven world titles remains "so far away" despite moving to within one of the German's tally in 2019.

Hamilton moved to outright second place on F1's all-time roll of honour as a second-place finish at the United States Grand Prix secured his fifth title in six years.

Schumacher's records for race wins (91) and titles were previously thought untouchable, but Hamilton is just eight victories short of the German and will start 2020 favourite to match his championship tally.

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However, Hamilton says the German icon's achievements remain difficult to comprehend in relation to his own.

"I've always said to you that reaching Michael's was never a target for me. I'm not really one that really thinks of records and those kind of things," he said.

"I definitely had thought that getting anywhere near Michael was just so far-fetched and I remember having my one [title] for a long period of time, then getting a second one. It was so far away and now yet it seems so close yet it is so far away that I still can't really even comprehend.

"The challenges that we'll face in these next coming months, the next season. You look at these other teams that have really been putting some astonishing performances in in the second half of the season.

"It's going to take another load of incredible performance and work from myself and all the people who are around me and I really don't want to have to think about it right now.

"And also, I don't want to build up the idea of trying to get to Michael's… to get to seven because at the moment, I've got enjoy right now.

"I'm not trying to think of what's going to happen potentially at the end of next year or 2021.

"I believe that I have the ability to continue to grow and to do more with this team and within Formula One and so that would be the target but time will tell."