Even when he doesn’t win, he wins; Lewis Hamilton tied another one of Michael Schumacher’s many Formula 1 records in the 2020 season finale.
Excluding his absence from the Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit outer layout as a result of testing positive for COVID-19, seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton entered the 2020 season finale after having won five races in a row for just the second time in his career.
He set out to win six races in a row for the first time in his career at Yas Marina Circuit, a track he entered as the two-time reigning winner and a five-time winner overall.
Unfortunately for him, he and Mercedes as a whole were dominated by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who led each and every lap of the 55-lap race around the 21-turn, 3.451-mile (5.554-kilometer) road course on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from the pole position en route to his 10th career victory and second of the year.
But even with a third place finish, Hamilton still managed to tie yet another Michael Schumacher record.
More from Formula One
- Formula 1: Top Red Bull threat identified for 2024
- Formula 1: Why the Max Verstappen retirement obsession?
- Formula 1: Williams ‘mistake’ hints Logan Sargeant’s future
- Formula 1 awaiting key confirmation for 2024 season
- Formula 1: The ‘championship’ Max Verstappen only leads by 3 points
Hamilton’s 2020 season was characterized by tying and breaking all-time records, particularly those held by Schumacher, and even in what was a mundane season finale, he kept up that trend. With a third place finish, Hamilton finished on the podium for the 14th time in 2020 and for the 165th time in his career.
He had already broken Schumacher’s all-time podium finishes record of 155 earlier in 2020. With his latest podium finish, he has now recorded 116 podium finishes as a Mercedes driver.
This ties Schumacher’s all-time record for the most podium finishes with a single constructor, as Schumacher recorded 116 of his 155 podium finishes with Ferrari.
Will Hamilton break this record in the 2021 season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit? This race is scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 21.