Lewis Hamilton presented with Michael Schumacher’s helmet by son Mick to honour record-equalling 91st career victory
Championship leader recorded his 91st career victory to tie Schumacher’s all-time record
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Your support makes all the difference.Lewis Hamilton was presented with one of Michael Schumacher’s famous red helmets by his son Mick after taking a record-equalling 91st career victory at the Eifel Grand Prix.
The six-time world champion took full advantage of Valtteri Bottas’s retirement to win his sixth race of the season, which moved him alongside Schumacher’s all-time tally of 91 career wins and put him within touching distance of breaking one of the last two records he has left to break.
Hamilton has six races left this season to break that record to stand head and shoulders above the rest, and with a 70-point lead in the drivers’ championship standings, he is on course to match Schumacher’s tally of seven world titles.
However, the most emotional part of the victory came when 21-year-old Mick Schumacher appeared alongside Hamilton holding one of his father’s red helmets, which Schumacher wore during his F1 comeback with Mercedes.
"I'm honoured, I don't even know what to say," Hamilton said.
"When you grow up watching someone and you generally idolise them, really just in terms of the quality of the driver they are, but what they're able to continuously do year on year, race on race and week on week with their team.
"Just seeing his dominance for so long, I don't think anyone, and especially me, didn't imagine that I'd be anywhere near Michael in terms of records.
"So it's an incredible honour, and it's going to take some time to get used to it."
Mick Schumacher was due to get his first taste of modern-day F1 on Ferrari in a practice outing for Alfa Romeo, only for the bad weather at the Nurburgring curtailing Friday’s running.
The Ferrari Driver Academy protege, who sits 22 points in front of Britain’s Callum Illott in the F2 standings with two races in Bahrain left to run, could yet feature this season in practice for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and is pushing for a seat on the grid next season in one of the Ferrari-powered teams in Alfa Romeo or Haas.
Having missed the chance to equal the record last time out in Russia, Hamilton was unaware of the achievement until he made it back to the pits to start the celebrations, where it quickly became apparent by the presence of Schumacher Jr in parc ferme.
"Honestly, as I came into the pit lane, that's when I realised that I'd equalled." Hamilton said. "I hadn't even computed it once I crossed the line, so I couldn't have done it without this incredible team.
"Everyone, continuing to push behind me, and given it their everything. So a very big thank you and huge, huge respect."
The afternoon could have been very different for Hamilton, having been out-fought by Bottas in the battle for the lead off the line. The Briton made the stronger getaway, and when both understeered wide into Turn One it was Hamilton who had the line to take the lead. But his Finnish teammate kept his foot in and muscled his way back past to retain first place, before quickly building a healthy gap over his Mercedes rival.
"We had a good start, going up alongside Valtteri, and we both understeered at the first corner so I tried obviously to give him as much room as possible," Hamilton said.
"Then he was in my blind spot, so I didn't know where he was after that. I moved as wide to the outside he came back, he did an amazing job.
"I remember coming out of that corner thinking, 'good on you man. I'm impressed, that was good.'"
Disappointing is the best word
However, a heavy lock-up gifted Hamilton the lead as the first stops approached, before a rare Mercedes power unit failure ended his race just 19 laps into the afternoon. His first retirement of the season leaves him a hefty 69 points adrift of Hamilton in the championship battle, leaving Bottas admitting the need for “a miracle” if he is to prevent Hamilton from retaining the title.
“What can I say? During the VSC I started to lose power and it never recovered. It was quite a big loss of power, something to do with the power unit. I don’t have any details yet. Unlucky. It was good fun until then,” Bottas said.
"It's disappointing, of course, very disappointing, and one of these things that you can't do anything for. Obviously I did have the lock-up before that. I think still I had all the chance for the win because that made me commit to a two-stop quite early, and I think a two-stop at the end was the best strategy.
"I knew there was all to play for, even after that lock-up in the drizzle. Then the engine thing, I couldn't believe it.
"Now I understand the gap to Lewis is pretty big in terms of points. Definitely would need a miracle. But as always, (there is) no point to give up. You need to keep the bar high and keep trying. We'll see. Disappointed is the best word."
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