Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton tied a record he doesn’t want
By Asher Fair
Lewis Hamilton’s finish in Sunday’s Styrian Grand Prix tied an all-time Formula 1 record, but it’s a record which he doesn’t necessarily want.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton entered this past Sunday’s Formula 1 race, the Styrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, coming off of a second place finish in a race that he had dominated in 2018 and 2019: the French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard.
Hamilton finished behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in that race, and the two championship contenders finished in the same order in the first of two races at the Red Bull Ring.
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As a result, Hamilton has now finished in the runner-up position 43 times throughout his career, a career which dates back to 2007 and includes 274 starts.
This runner-up finish tied the all-time record that had been held solely by fellow seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who competed in 306 races.
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This isn’t necessarily a record that Hamilton wants to own, despite the fact that he has more than made up for it in the wins category with a record 98 victories, a record he claimed just last year when he passed Schumacher’s long-time record of 91.
If there has been any season in recent years during which Hamilton can’t afford to make a habit of finishing in second place, it is this one. He has not made up ground on Verstappen in the championship battle in any of the last four races, and he now trails the 23-year-old Dutchman by 18 points heading into this Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, the ninth of 23 races on this year’s schedule. Three of Verstappen’s four wins this year have seen Hamilton finish in second.
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Will Hamilton tie the all-time second place finish record in this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring? Will he secure a record 99th career victory instead? Tune in to ESPN at 9:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, July 4 for the live broadcast of this race.