2018 Formula One World Championship — 69th season of Formula One motor racing
Lewis Hamilton won his fifth World Drivers' Championship, equalling Juan Manuel Fangio's record, while Mercedes claimed a fifth consecutive Constructors' title.
Key Facts
- Season
- 69th Formula One World Championship
- Races
- 21 Grands Prix
- Drivers' Champion
- Lewis Hamilton (5th title)
- Hamilton's winning margin
- 88 points ahead of Vettel points
- Constructors' Champion
- Mercedes (5th consecutive title)
- Notable technical change
- Halo cockpit protection device introduced
By the Numbers
Cause → Event → Consequence
Mercedes and Ferrari entered the 2018 season as rival championship contenders for the second consecutive year, with four-time champions Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel competing for a fifth title each — a scenario unprecedented in Formula One history, prompting the 'Fight for Five' narrative.
The 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship ran across 21 Grands Prix. The championship lead changed hands five times, with Vettel holding an eight-point advantage at the halfway stage. Hamilton ultimately clinched the Drivers' title at the Mexican Grand Prix, finishing 88 points clear of Vettel, while Mercedes secured the Constructors' title the following race.
Hamilton's fifth title equalled Fangio's long-standing record, cementing his status among the all-time greats. Mercedes extended its dominance with a fifth straight Constructors' Championship. The halo device, introduced this season, subsequently became mandatory across all FIA-sanctioned open-wheel series by 2020.