Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton is one of Britain’s sporting greats
Hamilton already holds the record number of career wins which now stands at 94, ahead of Schumacher, who won 91.
Hamilton, one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport, has sealed his place among Britain’s all-time sporting greats.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the candidates who could make the hallowed, and highly subjective, list.
Lewis Hamilton
The 35-year-old has surpassed Schumacher’s mark of 91 Grand Prix wins and has equalled the German’s record of seven world championship titles. Hamilton also holds the records for most podium finishes, most career points and most championship points in a season.
Sir Chris Hoy
Hoy is the most successful Olympic cyclist of all time. He won a total of six gold and one silver medals and in 2008 became the first Briton in 100 years to win three golds at one Olympic Games. Hoy is also an 11-time World Championship winner.
Sir Steve Redgrave
Redgrave was Britain’s greatest Olympian until his remarkable feats were surpassed by Hoy, winning gold rowing medals at five successive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000, his last one at the age of 38 and three years after being diagnosed with diabetes. Redgrave also won nine golds at the World Championships.
Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill
Ennis-Hill is Britain’s greatest female athlete of all-time. She lived up to her poster girl status by winning heptathlon gold at the 2012 London Olympics and was twice crowned world champion. She has held British records in four different disciplines and was also one of the world’s leading 100m hurdlers.
George Best
Best is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all-time, voted sixth in FIFA’s player of the 20th century poll. Named European player of the year in 1968 after helping Manchester United win the European Cup, the Northern Irishman was also described by Pele as the best he ever saw.
Sir Mo Farah
Farah is the most decorated British track athlete in modern Olympic Games history. He won 5,000m and 10,000m gold at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and also completed the double at the World Championships in 2013 and 2015. He is the first man to successfully defend his titles at both major competitions.
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson
Grey-Thompson was a pioneer for global disability sport. The Briton was crowned Paralympic champion 11 times – in Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney and Athens – and won six world titles while competing mainly in events ranging from 100m to 800m. She also broke 30 world records.
Sir Andy Murray
In an era dominated by tennis greats Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Murray reached world number one and won three grand slam titles at Wimbledon (2013 and 2016) and the US Open (2012). He was twice crowned Olympic champion (2012 and 2016) and led Great Britain to Davis Cup glory in 2015. He was also runner-up in eight other grand slam finals.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
O’Sullivan is widely regarded as the best snooker player of all-time. He is a six-time world champion, a record seven-time Masters champion and a record seven-time UK champion. He also holds the record for the most ranking titles, with 37, winning his first aged 17.
Phil Taylor
Taylor, recognised as darts’ greatest-ever player, won the World Championship on 16 occasions – eight times consecutively from 1995 to 2002 – and reached 14 successive finals. He dominated darts for over two decades, winning a record 85 major titles.
The best videos delivered daily
Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox