Lewis Hamilton won the Styrian Grand Prix from pole on Sunday to claim his 85th career victory, six behind Michael Schumacher’s Formula One record.
Most of Schumacher’s victories came during a dominant cycle with Ferrari, but the Italian team is stumbling. For the second time in the last four races, Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel lunged and were out.
Hamilton was coming off 89th pole on a wet track, extending his record. But he was barely tickled on Sunday, taking the win 13.7 seconds ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas’ Mercedes and 33.7 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.
Bottas was victorious in the Austrian Grand Prix that kicked off the season last weekend at the same Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg at the foot of the Styrian mountain range – hence the name change.
The Mexican Sergio Pérez was sixth with his Racing Point, fulfilling a meritorious performance in which he climbed positions after starting 17th.
As on Sunday, the pilots wore black T-shirts with the phrase “End Racism” and most knelt shortly before the national anthem was sung. AP (HN)