Lewis Hamilton has tied another one of Michael Schumacher’s most famed Formula 1 records.
Hamilton’s win in the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday clinched his seventh F1 championship, tying the mark set by Michael Schumacher. Schumacher won his seventh title in 2004. Both Schumacher and Hamilton won their seventh titles at age 35.
Lewis’ triumph in Turkey marked his 94th career win in his Formula 1 career. It was also Hamilton’s fourth consecutive win of 2020, and his 10th in 14 races this season. Those 94 wins are also a record, one that he recently took from Schumacher.
Early in the Turkish Grand Prix, Hamilton trailed first time pole sitter and then-leader Lance Stroll by 24.6 seconds. Hamilton pitted for fresh intermediate tires on Lap 9 in sixth place. He came out of the pits in eighth place. He was able to not only finish the race on those tires, but also win going away.
Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas came into the race as the lone challenger in the championship fight. That fight never materialized though, as Bottas spun out twice on the opening lap in wet conditions and was a non-factor. Hamilton put an exclamation point on both the victory and the championship when he lapped his teammate on Lap 46 of the 58-lap race. Bottas finished in 14th place.
The final margin of victory was 31.6 seconds over Racing Point’s Sergio Perez. Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel grabbed the final podium spot — his first podium of 2020. Hamilton won his first F1 title with Mercedes in 2014. He has won every single one since, except for 2016 when then-teammate Nico Rosberg beat him in an acrimonious battle.
Hamilton will try to break the last of Schumacher’s most impressive records in the 2021 season, which includes some controversial race locations.
(Photo by OZAN KOSE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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