Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton poised to do what he’s never done before
By Asher Fair
Lewis Hamilton has won five races in a row before, but he has never won six consecutive events throughout his Formula 1 career. While he did miss last weekend’s race, that could change this weekend as far as a personal achievement.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton tied Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91 career Formula 1 victories in the Eifel Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, and he hasn’t failed to claim the top step of the podium since — that is, when he has competed.
He did miss the most recent race, the Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit outer layout, after testing positive for COVID-19.
Hamilton, who has also tied Schumacher’s record with seven world championships after securing his 91st win, is now up to 95 career wins and is riding a five-race winning streak (excluding his Sakhir absence) heading into this Sunday’s race, the final race of the 2020 season, at Yas Marina Circuit.
Should Hamilton win this 55-lap Abu Dhabi Grand Prix around the 21-turn, 3.451-mile (5.554-kilometer) road course on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, he will close out the 2020 season on a six-race winning streak.
Not once in his storied Formula 1 career has Hamilton ever managed to win six races in a row.
It wouldn’t count in the history books because of his absence last weekend, but it would still be quite the personal achievement. Consequently, it would also be his 12th win of the season, which would be a career-high, despite the fact that he missed a race and the fact that the season was shortened to begin with as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
His current five-race winning streak also includes wins in the Portuguese Grand Prix at Algarve International Circuit, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, the Turkish Grand Prix at Intercity Istanbul Park and the Bahrain Grand Prix at the regular Bahrain International Circuit course.
Believe it or not, four of the five races during this winning streak were only included on the schedule as a result of other cancellations caused by the pandemic.
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Only once in his career prior to his current winning streak has Hamilton ever managed to win five races in a row, and that happened in 2014 en route to his second world championship.
He won the Italian Grand Prix at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay Street Circuit, the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit, the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom and the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas.
Sebastian Vettel holds the record with nine consecutive wins in the 2013 season en route to his fourth world championship.
Next. Top 10 Formula 1 drivers of all-time. dark
Tune in to ESPN at 8:10 a.m. ET tomorrow for the live broadcast of the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from Yas Marina Circuit to see whether or not Hamilton will extend his winning streak to six races.