Before Max Verstappen rewrote the majority of it in 2023, the record charts were generally dominated by Lewis Hamilton or Michael Schumacher.
While Schumacher has seen the majority of his records surpassed by Hamilton or Verstappen over the past few seasons, including most victories, most wins in a season, career podiums, and Hamilton matching the German’s tally of seven world titles.
But one area that Schumacher still reigned undisputed was in fastest laps, with a slew of related records to his name; nevertheless, during the Monaco Grand Prix, he lost one such record to Hamilton, who also tied another.
Hamilton stopped on Lap 51 to swap his worn medium tyre for hard in an attempt to undercut Verstappen for sixth place, but was unable to overtake the Red Bull.
As the two settled in, Hamilton clocked a 1:14.165 on lap 63 of 78 to post the fastest lap and win his first bonus point since the Mexico City Grand Prix in 2023.
Hamilton set his 54th fastest lap as a Mercedes driver, surpassing Schumacher’s 53 set at Ferrari between 1996 and 2006. Verstappen is third on the list of most fastest laps with the same team’ with 32.
Hamilton set his first fastest lap of the season, as well as his 15th consecutive fastest lap, dating back to 2010.
This matches Schumacher’s streak of fastest laps from 1992 till his Ferrari retirement in 2006.
However, Hamilton’s fastest lap in Monaco gives him the record for most seasons with a fastest lap overall (17). Only in 2009, while he was the defending world champion, did he fail to achieve a fastest lap in his career.
