Pole position pipe dreams - Brits think they could beat Lewis Hamilton in a race

Do you think you could beat seven-time World Championship-winning F1 driver Lewis Hamilton in a Grand Prix? 

Following our nationally representative survey of 2,000 Brits, some surprising revelations about the confidence of British motorists have come to light. According to the poll, a significant number of Brits believe they have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with none other than the record-breaking Formula 1 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton—and come out victorious!

The results are eye-opening, to say the least, as a whopping 24% of Brits think they could outdrive Hamilton in a race, illustrating just how self-assured (or perhaps a tad overconfident) some UK drivers are in their abilities. But the bold claims don’t stop there.

Challenging Hamilton: Brits confident they can defeat Lewis

When comparing confidence levels between men and women, 27% of men believe they could beat Lewis Hamilton in a race, compared to 22% of women. Interestingly, age also plays a role, with younger Brits feeling more confident about their chances on the track than their older counterparts. This suggests that younger generations may have a slightly more optimistic view of their driving abilities.

Brits who believe they could beat Lewis Hamilton in a race (by age)

A particularly surprising finding is that some of this confidence comes from people who don’t even hold a UK driving licence. In fact, one in ten (10%) Brits without a licence—believe they could still defeat Hamilton in a race.

Racing games: Transferable skills or delusion?

The survey suggests that the rise of racing video games might be influencing this sense of confidence. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Brits who regularly play F1 racing video games said they believe their virtual driving skills would allow them to beat Hamilton in a real-world race. Nationally, 32% of respondents claim that the skills they’ve honed in the gaming world would translate successfully to actual driving.

Interestingly, 4% of frequent racing gamers who believe they could beat Lewis Hamilton in an F1 car don’t even have a full driving licence. This really shows how virtual driving can boost confidence, with some gamers feeling ready to take on a world champion, even without ever having held a full driving licence!

Familiarity breeds confidence: Hamilton VS the hatchback?

Interestingly, many respondents believe that being behind the wheel of their own vehicle would give them the edge. The survey found that a quarter (27%) of Brits feel they’d have a better shot at winning a race if they were driving their own car rather than a high-performance race car.

Confidence levels vary among drivers, with luxury and executive car owners leading the way, as 59% believe they could beat Lewis Hamilton in their own car. Close behind are sports car drivers, with 57% of Porsche 911 owners sharing the same belief. It seems that the prestige of driving a high-end vehicle might be boosting their self-assurance on the road.

On the other end of the spectrum, the least confident drivers are those behind the wheel of smaller, city cars like the Fiat 500 or Ford Fiesta, with only 22% thinking they could outpace the F1 champion if they were to both drive their own vehicles.

Max Verstappen: Another target?

Lewis Hamilton isn’t the only F1 driver in the crosshairs of Britain’s self-confident drivers. An astonishing one in twenty (5%) respondents claimed they could beat reigning F1 World Champion, Max Verstappen, in a race. Additionally, 14% admitted that while Hamilton might be a stretch, they think they could outpace other professional F1 drivers.

Cocky Cockneys: Greater Londoners lead the charge

Confidence levels were boosted as soon as you entered the M25 it seems as in Greater London, nearly half (46%) of respondents think they could beat Hamilton in a race. Whether it's navigating the city’s notorious traffic or something else entirely, Londoners appear to believe they’re up to the challenge.

This data clearly shows that Londoners are the most confident, with more than double the number of drivers believing they could beat Hamilton compared to the next most confident region, the North West, where only 28% think they could win a race against him.

Final thoughts

While Lewis Hamilton has undoubtedly earned his place as one of the greatest racing drivers in history, it seems a notable portion of Brits believe they could give him a run for his money. Whether this confidence stems from gaming experiences, luxury cars, or simply a sense of adventure on the road, the survey results provide a fascinating glimpse into the psyche of the UK’s drivers.

But can these self-assured motorists actually hold their own on the track? For now, we can only imagine. But one thing’s for sure—if Lewis Hamilton ever finds himself in a race with some of these respondents, he might be in for a very interesting day!