Lewis Hamilton hits 300 GPs but says first F1 race remains the highlight

Lewis Hamilton has said he cherishes his first race in Formula One as the highlight of his career as he prepares to take part in his 300th race at the French Grand Prix this weekend. The 37-year-old added that during his 16-season career in F1 he rated the double world champion Fernando Alonso as his most formidable opponent.

Hamilton made his F1 debut in 2007 at Melbourne aged 22, the culmination of a lifelong ambition to reach F1. “The whole realisation of reaching your dream is a very, very surreal experience, it is always going to be your first, there’s only one first,” he said.

“Just getting to that first grand prix in 2007, the amount of sleepless nights as a family all of us had had not knowing if we would reach our dream but never giving up nonetheless and being there, that will probably be the real highlight.”

In bringing up his triple century on Sunday, Hamilton will join a select group of drivers. Only five others have competed in 300 or more grands prix, with Kimi Räikkönen heading the pack on 349. Alonso with 344 is the only other active driver to have reached the milestone, while Rubens Barrichello raced in 322 and Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button 306 apiece.

Hamilton insists he does not pay attention to statistics but it is worth noting that none of those five drivers took a win after they had surpassed the 300 mark. As things stand doing so this season will be some task, but he remains optimistic despite this being the longest he has gone without victory. “It doesn’t faze me because I am working towards getting that win,” he said. “I do believe we will at some stage be able to compete with these guys. Whether it is this weekend or in five races’ time.”

In that debut season he joined Alonso, then