Lewis Hamilton equals Michael Schumacher’s record

Mercedes driver matches Schumacher’s record of 91 Formula One race wins

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team celebrate winning the Formula One Eifel Grand Prix. Photograph: EPA
Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team celebrate winning the Formula One Eifel Grand Prix. Photograph: EPA

Lewis Hamilton equalled Michael Schumacher's record of 91 Formula One race wins with victory at the Nürburgring on Sunday.

The Eifel Grand Prix, which took place at the circuit which sits just 50 miles from the German's home, had seen Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas start from pole position, but the British driver took the initiative on lap 13, capitalising as Bottas locked up into turn one, and pulled clear to secure his seventh win of the season.

Rounding off the podium was Max Verstappen in second and Daniel Ricciardo in third. Bottas was forced to retire on lap 20 due to a power unit failure in his car.

In the run-up to the race Hamilton had played down the significance of matching Schumacher's career tally, but with the outright record now surely a formality this season, and the yawning gulf of 38 race victories to the third-placed driver on the all-time list, Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton's achievement is both significant and looks secure long beyond his days in the cockpit.

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Schumacher had been in sole possession of the record since September 2nd 2001, when victory at the Belgian Grand Prix for Ferrari took him to 52 wins, breaking the record of Alain Prost that had stood from 1993.

As well as the outright record of race wins, Hamilton’s chances of matching Schumacher’s seven F1 drivers’ championship titles – a record the Mercedes driver says he is much more interested in – has improved once more, stretching his lead over Bottas. - Guardian