Has Hamilton led a GP as a champion?

Hamilton hasn't led a lap this season, and Villeneuve didn't as champion either. His last ever lap in the lead was the penultimate lap of the 1997 European GP, before the McLarens barged past to a 1-2.

It is currently only 7 races since an active champion led, seeing as Raikkonen led laps 41-43 in Brazil last season.

The record for no reigning champion leading a race is 36 races in 1978-79-80 (Lauda & Andretti & Scheckter). Lauda led the 1978 British GP, but not the final 6 races of the season (he of course won without leading a single lap in Italy); Andretti and Scheckter both failed to lead all 15 races of their title defences.

The champion not leading for two or more consecutive seasons had occured on other occasions: 1958-59-60 (Fangio & Hawthorn & Brabham, 21 races, Fangio led the first race of 1958 and Brabham the second of 1960) and 1992-93-94 (Senna led the 1992 Italian GP, but not the final 3 races of the season. Mansell didn't drive in 1993 and Prost didn't drive in 1994 - both 16-race seasons) were the next longest runs in terms of races.

Its 397 laps since he last led a race, Last lap at Shanghai 2008

hopefully my counting is better than my typing!

EQ I think Julian is right with Jacques, pretty sure he didnt lead in the first 6 races of '98.

Going further back maybe Mario Andretti in '79

I'm thinking the same thing about Villeneuve. I don't think he led a single lap after his '97 championship. He was still with Williams in '98, but they did not have Renault engines and he was nowhere.

Not as of yet I checked, http://www.manipef1.com/results/2009/australia/rac...

EQ, I have no idea, did Jacques Villeneuve ever lead a race after 1997? Can't remember. Rosbif, where are you?!

He might of at Aussie, but I don't think so

EQ: Im really not sure

no idea.

i also missed a lot

Soon enough...