Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton made Formula One history on Sunday, winning the Portuguese Grand Prix for a 92nd career victory to move one ahead of German great Michael Schumacher. Hamilton finished nearly 25.6 seconds ahead of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and 34.5 clear of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for his eighth win of another dominant season. He also took an extra point for the fastest lap to extend his huge championship lead to 77 points over Bottas with just five races left. Lewis Hamilton passed Michael Schumacher with a record-breaking 92nd Formula One victory on Sunday as the world champion powered to success in the Portuguese Grand Prix. The Briton, who leveled the record at the Eifel Grand Prix earlier this month, extended his lead over Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, who finished second in Portimao, in the world championship. Hamilton is within reach of equalling Schumacher’s record of winning seven championships. It was his eighth win of the season from just 12 races in 2020, with only five remaining in the coronavirus-truncated campaign. Hamilton had equalled Ferrari great Michael Schumacher’s record 91 wins at the previous race at the Nuerburgring. He took a record-extending 97th career pole position, starting ahead of Bottas and Verstappen on a track being used for the first time in F1.
“I only ever dreamed of being where I am today,” he said after the race and a long hug with his father Anthony, who managed his early career. “I didn’t have a magic (crystal) ball when I chose to come here (Mercedes) – and all we have ever tried to do is make the most of it every single day. We are all rowing in the same direction. “I have got my dad here which is amazing and my step-mum Linda – and Roscoe (his dog) – so it’s a very special day. It’s going to take time to sink in, but I was still pushing coming across the line.” On the team radio, he emotionally told Mercedes that it was “such an honour to work with you” and his race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington replied, saying: “It’s the same here, an honour, genuinely.” After the race, Hamilton added: “I really owe it all to these guys for their teamwork, continually innovating and pushing the barrier ever higher every year.” Hamilton won his first F1 race in 2007 and first title the following year. But his career really took off when he replaced the retired Schumacher at Mercedes in 2013. Hamilton has added five F1 titles and the runaway championship leader is now odds-on to equal Schumacher’s record of seven. Dutchman Max Verstappen completed the podium for Red Bull, while Charles Leclerc produced a brilliant drive to finish fourth for Ferrari. It was the seventh race this year that Hamilton, Bottas and Verstappen have made up the top three.
