Lewis Hamilton on course to be the greatest F1 driver in history says Toto Wolff

After storming to victory in the United States, Hamilton is set to surpass Sir Jackie Stewart and claim four F1 world titles this weekend

Lewis Hamilton is set to become a four-time world champion (Getty)

Lewis Hamilton is on course to become the greatest Formula One driver of all-time, his Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has claimed.

Hamilton, who holds a 66-point lead over rival Sebastian Vettel with just three rounds remaining, will earn another shot at world championship glory in Mexico City on Sunday.

After storming to victory in the United States, Hamilton needs only to finish fifth to become the first British driver to surpass Sir Jackie Stewart and claim four F1 world titles.

The Englishman, 32, has been in sensational form of late - winning five of the six races since the summer break - and surpassing Michael Schumacher's pole position record at the Italian Grand Prix in September.

A fourth championship would still leave Hamilton some distance off Schumacher's record haul of seven titles, but Wolff believes his star man warrants greater recognition for his already remarkable career.

"Lewis is about to break all records that have been set in Formula One, and it is just a matter of time that people will say he is on track to being the best driver that has ever existed," he said. "The high performers often polarise because they have strong opinions and they express those. You don't want to be down the middle and boring, and in today's day and age if you polarise you stand out. Lewis stands out.

"Those sport icons that polarise eventually get the credit, but maybe after their career ends. This is the best Lewis - both on and off the track - that I have worked with since 2013."

Following his victory in Austin last Sunday, Hamilton attributed his impressive form this year - most notably in the second half of the campaign - to Nico Rosberg's departure from Mercedes.


 Hamilton all but secured his title in Austin 
 (Getty)

Hamilton's rivalry with Rosberg became so toxic in the three years which they fought for the championship that they could not even exchange pleasantries with one another.

And while Wolff admits a sense of regret over Hamilton's hostile relationship with Rosberg, did the Mercedes boss agree that the German's sudden retirement was in fact a blessing in disguise?

"In hindsight all things happen for a reason," said Wolff, whose Mercedes team celebrated their fourth consecutive constructors' championship on Sunday night. So, looking back at the season and the structure we now have with Lewis and Valtteri Bottas - which has benefitted our overall team's performance and the drivers' performance - then yes.

"There is a certain regret that we could not make it less controversial - but it is down to the dynamics between the drivers and the personalities and maybe things we are not aware of. It was certainly a factor that they were both on the same level and competing for the world championship, but it was more a factor that there was also too much baggage from the past."