GREAT IN ANY ERA.

Editor's Note: We're going to leave Peter's column about Lewis Hamilton up one more week. He will be back with a new "Fumes" next week. -WG

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. Readers of this website know that I am not a big fan of F1. The race-to-race regimentation, the incessant whining, the uninspired engine choices, the many sterile, "manufactured" tracks, the flat-out greed in the way the circus conducts its business - I could go on. It is hard for me to get excited about the series because it is remarkably devoid of passion for anything except the money. Yes, the drivers still give a shit, but the realities of "the show" are often distilled down to a processional race determined by who gets to Turn 1 first. I really am not concerned with F1's next rules package either, because the chances are very high that they'll screw things up yet again. 

That being said, Lewis Hamilton's fifth World Championship is a notable achievement. With 71 Grand Prix wins and 81 pole positions, Hamilton's on-track brilliance is indisputable. And the fact that he insists on going his own way with his personal, off-track pursuits is commendable, too, especially in this era of oversanitized everything when it comes to drivers and the associated sponsor marketing.

Hamilton now joins a very elite group, meaning he is - along with Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher - one of three F1 drivers with five or more World Championships. Will he tie or break Schumacher's all-time record of seven? I am not here to predict anything. Instead, I will continue to enjoy Hamilton's style and wish him nothing but the best. For all the the things wrong with F1, Hamilton's consistency and pure speed are something to behold. He clearly enjoys what he does and I hope that's always the case. Would he have been great in any F1 era? I have no doubt. Congratulations to Lewis and the entire AMG-Mercedes racing organization.

That's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

(Pirelli)
Lewis Hamilton is now a five-time F1 World Champion.

Brands Hatch, England, July 30, 1967. Phil Hill (No. 1 Chaparral 2F Chevrolet) chasing the No. 7 Ferrari S.p.A. SEFAC Ferrari 330 P4 of Ludovico Scarfiotti/Peter Sutcliffe during the 6-Hour BOAC 500. Hill and co-driver Mike Spence delivered one of the biggest international victories for Jim Hall and the Chaparral Cars team that day. Chris Amon/Jackie Stewart (No. 6 Ferrari S.p.A. SEFAC Ferrari 330 P4) finished second and Jo Siffert/Bruce McLaren (No. 11 Porsche System Engineering Porsche 910) came in third. Note the Texas license plate. Jim Hall always ran his cars with a Texas plate while competing overseas.