Lewis Hamilton has what it takes to become the greatest driver in Formula One history, according to his former McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen.
Now with Mercedes, Hamilton secured his fourth world title - and third in four years - in 2017, finishing 46 points ahead of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel to match the German's tally of drivers' championships.
Only two men - Michael Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio, with seven and five respectively - have more world crowns than Hamilton, who looks set to be firmly in the frame to challenge again in the 2018 season, which gets under way in Australia on March 25.
Kovalainen was alongside Hamilton at McLaren for the Brit's first world title in 2008, and he believes his ex-colleague can surpass all of the great names of the sport and stand alone as the best there has ever been.
"For sure, he's up there. He's a great driver obviously," Kovalainen told Omnisport.
"He's got great achievements and I believe he can still get better and better. It's difficult to say exactly where he is.
"I think people like Schumacher, [Ayrton] Senna, [Alain] Prost, they're all up there and Lewis is up there. It's everybody's own preference which order you want to put them in.
"But they're all among the greatest of all time and Lewis is already there and I think he can get better.
"So in terms of championships and in terms of achievements he could become the most successful ever in Formula One."
Kovalainen was speaking thanks to the Abu Dhabi Invitational 2018, Yas Links Golf Club, Abu Dhabi.
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