When Michael Schumacher scored his 91st and last Grand Prix victory in China in 2006 I did not think we would ever see anyone else reach such a number again. It seemed like an insurmountable record like would stand for if not eternity then certainly many decades. And yet yesterday, 11th October 2020, just 14 years later Lewis Hamilton equaled that mark and in the coming weeks will surpass it and forge a new record for himself.
That Lewis should achieve his 91st victory at the Nurburgring in Germany where Michael had won 5 times and only 50km or so from Schumacher’s home town of Kerpen seemed apt. With Schumacher’s son Mick. himself seemingly on the brink of an F1 drive himself presenting Hamilton with one of his father’s helmets after the race to mark the occasion it felt even more right.
We all knew that this occasion was coming, just as we know that Hamilton’s seventh title is coming but it was still great to see it happen and I’m sure that part of Lewis will be relieved it has finally happened so that people will stop asking him about it. We could discuss the record further and compare it to Michael’s achievement but I will save that for another Blog that I am planning. For today it is sufficient to recognize that this is a significant moment in F1 and in the career of Lewis Hamilton and much respect to Lewis for that. To be at the top of your game and keep producing that level year on year is very difficult dominant car or not.
The race itself was an enjoyable one if not a real classic. Hamilton got a good getaway from the line and lined his team mate and pole sitter up for a pass intot turn one only for Bottas to get his elbows out and defend the position around the outside in a very string but fair move. Valterri had signaled that he was not about to give Lewis an easy run to his record win. Unfortunately with graining tyres Valterri locked up massively going into turn one as the race got going which gave Lewis his chance to overtake and gave himself such a bad flat spot that he was forced to pit early.
Whether Bottas would have been able to fight back from that early stop was a question we would never have answered as soon after coming out of the pits he began losing power and was forced to retire. After that the task of chasing Hamilton was given to Mz Verstappen and although he kept himself in range he never had the pace to challenge and was left to collect second place. Hamilton still had to work for it and not make any silly errors but it was a pretty straight forward race from him from then on.
While Bottas’s mechanical problems will cause Mercedes some concern, especially as both he and Lewis ahd new power units for the weekend he was not the only driver to suffer technical issues as there were an unusually high amount of mechanical related retirements for this point in the season. The Nurburgring isn’t really a circuit that could be called a car breaker so the team’s would appear to have some issues to fix to ensure that finishing the race is not a problem. At this point of the year with six races to go and championship positions hanging in the balance losing pints because of failures can be extremely costly.
With Valterri out of the race there was a podium place up for grabs and the fight for it was only really between Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez both of who m were driving very strong races. I admit I would have been happy to have seen either of these guys on the podium because I believe they both deserve it this year, but to see the smiling Danny Ric on the third step was very good to see. Both he and Renault have been very impressive over the last 11 races and they have developed the car very well over the year which has seen their competitiveness steadily improve. A third place is their just deserts for a job well done so far this year.
Another stand out performer and my driver of the race is Nico Hulkenberg who once again was throen into the deep end to replace one of the Racing point drivers. This time it was Lance Stroll who was unable to take part after a stomach problem and Nico was called up. With no practice he went into qualifying with a mountain to climb and understandably qualified last on the grid. It was unfair to expect any more of him but he was in the race and biy did he impress from them on. Starting the race with only four laps under his belt from qualifying he made up some places in the early laps and made his way steadily up to the points and finished in a very impressive eighth place. For me that makes him the star of the weekend. Whether he will any more races this season we dont know but as long as everyone is well his services will not be needed and that is a big shame because this guy deserves to be in F1 full time.
There was another record that was worthy of mention yesterday. This time not one equaled but one beaten as Kimi Raikkonen started his 323rd Grand Prix. His long career appears as though it may not be coming to an end either as strong rumours point to him signing for another year with Alfa Romeo. The ever young Kimi is not done yet it seems.
So a record equaling and setting race then that gave us some excitement with some good racing down through the field and well deserved results going to those who did very well to earn them. It was a pleassure to have the Nurburgring back on the F1 schedule and to see the drivers and the new breed of cars tackle another old school circuit.
Next up its something brand new as we go to Portimoa for the first Portuguese Grand Prix since 1996. The circuit sound be a god one for F1 and the unknown is always exciting.
My F1 talk 