Lewis Hamilton chalks up F1 win 91 to equal Michael Schumacher record

Eifel Grand Prix

Hamilton chalks up F1 win 91 to equal Schumacher record

Bottas retirement aided Hamilton's victory charge

Ian Parkes

Sunday 11 October 2020 15:50

Lewis Hamilton took a giant stride towards a seventh Formula 1 world title on a day when he equalled Michael Schumacher's all-time record of 91 grand prix victories.

It was a landmark few thought would be matched when Schumacher retired for the first time at the end of 2006, and again when he called it a day for the second time six years later.

But eight years on, and following a remarkably dominant period in F1, Hamilton now stands alongside the legendary German, and it is a question of when this year - and not if - he will hold the outright record for himself before powering on to chalk up 100 wins at some stage next year.

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At the Nürburgring, Hamilton was aided by the retirement of Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas with a suspected MGU-H failure after 18 laps, albeit after the Finn had relinquished the lead a few laps earlier anyway with a lock-up into the first corner.

The Eifel Grand Prix win means Hamilton now holds a 69-point lead, and again, it is surely a matter of at which race this season the 35-year-old matches the ultimate Schumacher record of seven championships.

Hamilton finished 4.470secs ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who is 14 points shy of second-in-the-standings Bottas, while Renault's Daniel Ricciardo continued his fine run of form with third place.

It is Renault's first podium since the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix, and Ricciardo's first since his win in the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix.

It now means Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul will be required to get a tattoo after a bet with Ricciardo that he would do so if the Australian finished on the podium this season.

Off the line, Hamilton made slightly the better start compared to Bottas, and in typical style, the Briton forced the Finn wide and off the track at turn one.

But in pulling away out of the opening right-hander and on the short run down to turn two left-hander, Bottas had the traction and managed to retain his lead, leaving his team-mate to then fend off an attacking Verstappen.

The nature of Bottas' race, however, changed at the start of lap 13 when he endured a severe lock-up into turn one, allowing Hamilton to take full advantage as he passed around the outside of turn two to claim the lead.

In making an immediate pit stop in switching from the soft to medium tyres, Bottas dropped to fourth just behind Ricciardo, who was no match for Mercedes power as he relinquished third on lap 16.

Shortly after Hamilton and second-placed Verstappen were able to pit under a virtual safety car as the marshals needed additional time to recover the stricken Williams of George Russell after the Briton was punted into the air at turn one by Kimi Raikkonen, who locked up as he powered up behind the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel.

On the occasion of his record-breaking 323rd race start, claiming the honour from Rubens Barrichello, Raikkonen earned a 10-second penalty.

Moments later, Bottas then dramatically slowed, complaining he had "no power, no power", leading to his retirement soon after with a suspected MGU-H failure.

Bottas was joined on the retiree list soon after by Renault's Esteban Ocon with a suspected hydraulic issue and Alex Albon in his Red Bull.

Albon endured a wretched race over his 23 laps on track as he locked up into turn two on lap one, which allowed Ricciardo to claim fifth place at that stage.

In flat-spotting the right-front tyre, Albon was forced to pit after eight laps, dropping him to the back of the pack, leading to a fightback through the field.

But in challenging AlphaTauri's Daniil Kvyat at one stage, after the Russian had taken to the grass at the chicane, Albon cut across too swiftly, knocking off the front wing of the AT01 and earning a five-second penalty.

When Albon then endured another lock up and flat-spot after attacking Pierre Gasly in his AlphaTauri, the team then retired the car soon after with a power unit problem.

Hamilton's cruise was disrupted on lap 45 after a safety car was deployed to recover Lando Norris' McLaren that was parked in an awkward position after retiring with a power unit issue that had plagued him for around 15 laps.

It allowed the field to change rubber, negating the 11-second advantage he had held over Verstappen, and despite complaints from both about their tyres going cold as they ran behind the safety car, Hamilton was rapidly away once racing resumed.

Behind the leading trio, Racing Point's Sergio Perez finished fourth ahead of Carlos Sainz in his McLaren, followed by Gasly and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Driver of the day was Racing Point's Nico Hülkenberg, who had started last but scored points for eighth in standing in for the ill Lando Norris.

Haas' Romain Grojean was another hero with his ninth, and apparently driving with a fractured finger after being hit by gravel very early in the race, while Alfa Romeo's Antonio Giovinazzi collected the final point for 10th ahead of Vettel and Raikkonen.

Before you go...

"Grandpa" Ricciardo 'scared himself' on the Nordschleife

"Unlucky" Bottas sees faint F1 title hopes wrecked by power unit issue