Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton out for Sakhir Grand Prix
By Asher Fair
After testing positive for COVID-19, Lewis Hamilton will not compete in the penultimate race of the 2020 Formula 1 season at Bahrain International Circuit.
Lewis Hamilton’s record streak of 265 consecutive Formula 1 starts dating back to his debut in 2007 will end this weekend.
After testing positive for COVID-19, the 2020 and seven-time world champion will not compete in Sunday’s Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit outer layout.
Mercedes announced the news on Twitter.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) December 1, 2020
Through the first 15 races of the shortened 17-race 2020 season, Hamilton has tied his career-high with 11 victories, including a career-high five in a row leading up to his positive test.
His average finish is a career-high 1.8, and he has led a career-high 613 of the 895 laps that have been run.
He has surpassed Michael Schumacher’s wins record of 91 and currently has 95 victories to his name.
His seventh world championship, which he secured over teammate Valtteri Bottas in the season’s 14th race, the Turkish Grand Prix, at Intercity Istanbul Park, tied Schumacher’s record.
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A replacement for Hamilton has not yet been named, although Nico Hulkenberg would be a great option after filling in at Racing Point for Sergio Perez in the two races at Silverstone Circuit and Lance Stroll at the Nurburgring earlier this year. Stoffel Vandoorne, the team’s reserve driver, is also in the mix.
Perez and Stroll are the only two full-time drivers to miss time this season, but two more are set to miss this Sunday’s race. In addition to Hamilton, Haas’ Romain Grosjean will not compete after suffering burns to the backs of his hands in a nasty wreck in this past Sunday’s race.
ESPN2 is set to broadcast the Sakhir Grand Prix live from the 11-turn, 2.202-mile (3.544-kilometer) road course in Sakhir, Bahrain beginning at 12:10 a.m. ET this Sunday, December 6.
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Hamilton is provisionally slated to return for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday, December 13, but he will need a negative test to do so.