Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton already breaking records in 2021
By Asher Fair
With his first season-opening victory since the 2015 Formula 1 season, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton broke two of Michael Schumacher’s records.
Last season, Lewis Hamilton broke Michael Schumacher’s all-time Formula 1 wins record and tied his all-time titles record. Schumacher ended his career with 91 wins and seven world titles, and Hamilton entered the 2021 season with 95 wins and seven world titles.
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Hamilton entered the year as the four-time reigning world champion, and he has won the title in six of the last seven years.
But the record-breaking wasn’t done last year for the 36-year-old Briton.
In winning the 2021 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen this past Sunday, the Mercedes driver broke two more of Schumacher’s records and tied another.
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Entering this race, he had led 5,099 laps throughout his career, 12 shy of Schumacher’s record of 5,111. He led 27 of the 56 laps around the 15-turn, 3.363-mile (5.412-kilometer) road course in Sakhir, Bahrain to break that record.
He had also recorded 116 podium finishes with Mercedes entering the 2021 season, which was tied for the most all-time with a single constructor. Schumacher finished on the podium 116 times with Ferrari. With his season-opening victory, Hamilton secured his 117th Mercedes podium finish, breaking the record.
Additionally, he tied Schumacher in another category, that being the consecutive winning seasons category. Entering the 2021 season, Schumacher held that record with 15 consecutive winning seasons. Hamilton tied it and has put himself in a position to break it if he returns next year.
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The next race on the 2021 Formula 1 schedule is the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 18 at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari. ESPN is set to broadcast this race live beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET.