From tyre treads to bonkers threads

HURTLING round the bend, Lewis Hamilton’s dreams of a record eighth F1 drivers’ title seemed to be wrecked when he smashed into the back of bitter rival Max Verstappen.

But while his Formula One boss Toto Wolff was throwing his headphones to the floor in a blind fury, the British driver kept calm and carried on — eventually sealing victory in another dramatic race of a nail-biting season.

His latest win means the two men will face off in Sunday’s season finale in Abu Dhabi exactly level on points — so whoever finishes ahead of the other will become champion.

For 36-year-old Sir Lewis, who currently shares the record of seven drivers’ titles with German legend Michael Schumacher, it is a chance to strike out alone as undoubtedly F1’s GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).

But perhaps the real question now becomes: Is he the greatest British sports star of all time, full stop?

After Lewis went into the back of Verstappen’s car on Sunday — the third crash between the two fierce competitors this season — second-placed Max stormed off the stage as Lewis celebrated on top of the winner’s podium.

But an unfazed Hamilton said: “I’m personally chilled. I feel like I’m in the boxing ring and I’m ready to go.”

While the likes of David Beckham, Frank Bruno, Bobby Charlton, Andy Murray, Roger Bannister, Paula Radcliffe, Kelly Holmes, Mo Farah, Steve Redgrave and Mark Cavendish have been extraordinary in their fields, no other competitor from these shores has dominated like Lewis has.

Year after year he has displayed nerves of steel to keep ahead in a life-or-death sport where every split second counts.

He has seen off legends Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen in his quest to dominate.

Now Lewis is getting the better of young pretender Verstappen, 24, who looked to be coasting to the title until the British racer closed the gap by winning three races in a row.

Johnny Herbert, Sky Sports F1 commentator and ex-driver, told The Sun last night: “It will be historic if Lewis wins on Sunday because it’s the eighth championship and I never, ever thought anybody would get close to Michael Schumacher.

“It’s great for British sport to have Lewis as the greatest F1 driver. He has kept up the determination and this one will probably be the best of the lot.”

Top Gear’s former Stig, Ben Collins, who was also a racing driver, agreed: “No one thought anyone would break Schumacher’s record.

‘IT WILL BE HISTORIC IF LEWIS WINS’

“If there was any doubt about how good Lewis is we have seen the best of him due to Max’s challenge.”

The Sunday after the season decider is the BBC’s Sports Personality Of The Year ceremony — and few would bet against Lewis triumphing as he did last year.

Off the track, the driver has become a global icon. With more than 25million Instagram followers, his pals include the likes of Brazilian footballer Neymar, pop star Rihanna and ex-England football captain Beckham.

He has dated Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, 43, and was linked to Sofia Richie, 23, the daughter of singer Lionel.

His outlandish style choices always get him noticed, particularly the flowery jackets or matching tartan he wears, while tattoo aficionados hail the Still I Rise inking covering his back and the lion on his chest.

In Saudi Arabia, where homosexuals face public stoning or even the death penalty, Lewis sported a LGBTQ+ rainbow on his helmet.

If there was any doubt about how good Lewis is we have seen the best of him due to Max’s challenge

Ben Collins

Putting his money where his mouth is, he also established the Hamilton Commission to encourage young black people to follow careers in science, technology, engineering and maths.

And he has not been afraid to speak out on issues of race and climate change, while promoting a vegan diet.

In fact, Lewis has never been one to duck a fight — and he needed that resolve to break into the wealthy, non-diverse world of Formula One in the first place.

His parents Anthony and Carmen divorced when he was two and for the next decade he lived with his mum.

But seeing his talent on the go-kart track, his dad gave up his job in IT and took on four jobs in order to raise the cash to support Lewis’s career.

Along the way the pair faced racist abuse. Lewis said: “The first time it happened I felt really upset, and I felt like I needed to get revenge on them.

TWO DRIVERS NOT GIVING AN INCH

“But lately, if anybody says anything to me, I just ignore them and get them back on the track.”

Aged ten he had the guts to tell McLaren’s Formula One boss Ron Dennis that he wanted to race in one of his cars.

When Ron then saw Lewis winning junior championships, he signed him up in 1998, making Lewis, then 13, the youngest driver to sign a potential F1 deal.

It was not until 2007, though, that he got behind the wheel of one of the elite cars, partnering world champion Fernando Alonso.

In his debut season, he finished runner-up by one point in the drivers’ championship. But the following year he went one further and became the youngest F1 champion, at the age of 23.

This season Johnny Herbert thinks that Lewis has faced his greatest track challenge yet in the form of Verstappen, who will go on to be a “great” in his own right.

Outstanding performance and victory from Lewis Hamilton despite everything being thrown at him

Gary Lineker

For a while it looked like Max’s Red Bull racing car had the beating of Lewis’s Mercedes, but the German team have now found a little bit extra. And fans have been thrilled to see the two drivers not giving an inch.

The pair’s high-powered vehicles have made contact three times this year. At the British Grand Prix, Max ended up in hospital after being shunted by Lewis.

And at the Milan race in Monza the Dutchman landed his car on Hamilton’s cockpit.

Then on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, Lewis again went into the back of his rival’s car. But the motoring world seems to be in agreement that it was Verstappen’s mistake.

Johnny agrees with Lewis’s assessment that the younger driver appeared to “brake test” the current champion.

With Lewis about to overtake, Max suddenly hit the brakes for no apparent reason, leaving the British driver no chance to avoid a dangerous smash.

‘OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE’

The seven-time champion said he tried everything to avoid colliding with Max during the race and blasted his opponent for driving “over the limit” of what is acceptable.

That edge-of-the-seat approach has caught the attention of people outside of motor racing.

After the race, the Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker tweeted: “Outstanding performance and victory from Lewis Hamilton despite everything being thrown at him.”

Now Johnny fears a repeat smash in the climactic final race. Though the drivers are on equal points, as Max has the most race victories he would be crowned champion if both men fail to finish.

A crash would be reminiscent of when Schumacher was accused of deliberately shunting British racer Damon Hill in order to take the 1994 championship, and when the late, great Ayrton Senna appeared to do the same to Alain Prost in 1990.

Johnny says: “I hope it doesn’t come to that. This season has been brilliant.”