Hamilton claims record-equalling 7th F1 world title

istanbul — Lewis Hamilton secured a record-equalling seventh Formula One world title on Sunday after winning the Turkish Grand Prix and then warned pretenders to his crown “I’m only just getting started!”

After a momentous drive from sixth on the grid in wet and treacherous conditions, the Briton matched Michael Schumacher’s haul of drivers’ crowns with three races of the season remaining.

The 35-year-old sealed his latest title 12 years after his first with a typically measured masterclass, handling the slippy early conditions to claim his 94th career win.

It was widely declared as one of his finest triumphs and entirely appropriate on the day he drew alongside the German in the record books. Later he claimed he still had the hunger for more titles. —

Britain’s Lewis Hamilton choked back the tears as he won a record-equalling seventh Formula One world championship on Sunday and became the most successful driver in the sport’s history. The Mercedes ace put on a masterclass in wet and slippery conditions to take a record-stretching 94th career win at a rollercoaster of a Turkish Grand Prix and secure the title with three races to spare.

Only Ferrari great Michael Schumacher has seven titles to his name, a number once thought unlikely ever to be matched, but most of the German’s records have passed to Hamilton.

So complete was Hamilton’s domination that he lapped sole rival and team mate Valtteri Bottas with 12 laps to go on a nightmare afternoon for the spinning Finn who finished 14th.

Hamilton already had more race wins, pole positions and podium finishes than anyone in the history of the sport but, despite starting a season-low sixth, the 35-year-old was determined to add to the tally. “Thank you so much guys...that’s for all the kids out there who dream the impossible. You can do it too man, I believe in you guys,” he whooped over the radio after taking the chequered flag.

The Briton finished a massive 31.6 seconds clear of Racing Point’s second-placed Mexican Sergio Perez in a race run behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Seven is just unimaginable but when you work with such a great group of people and you really trust each other, there is just no end to what can do together,” said Hamilton, who has yet to sign a new deal for 2021.

“I feel like I’m only just getting started.”

Hamilton was congratulated after parking up by Perez, who still has no seat for 2021, and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel who completed the podium in a race full of spins and changes of lead.

“I told him that it was very special for us because we can witness history being made today,” said Vettel, a four-times world champion with Red Bull and on the podium for the first time this year.

“There is no doubt Lewis is the greatest in terms of what he has achieved.” Bottas, who w said over the radio four l laps from the end that he wished wish the race was already fini finished, also went across to exte extend his hand. Mercedes had already won the construc constructors’ championship for a seve seventh year in a row, an unprecedented unprecedent feat. While Perez started third and eked out his tyres, tyres Canadian team mate Lance Stroll saw his dreams of a first win disappear disapp after leading from his first pole pos position.

He finished ninth, the th slide down the order starting when he pit pitted on lap 37. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fourth place, after passing Perez on the last l lap but then sliding wide, with Spaniard Car Carlos Sainz fifth for McLaren and Red Bull’ Bull’s Max Verstappen sixth. Red Bull’s Alexander Alex Albon was seventh with Lando Norris eighth for McLaren and taki taking a bonus point for the fastest lap. Australian Daniel Ricciardo was 10t 10th for Renault. Hamilton said there was a point where he thoug thought the race was slipping away fr from him, and the leaden skies an and constant threat of rain added to the sense of uncertainty, but h he kept believing. When the team suggested he pit for fresh tyres towards the end, given the safet safety of his lead and the amount of laps done on the worn intermed intermediates, he overruled them. —

I know often I say it’s beyond my wildest dreams but I think my whole life secretly I probably have dreamed as high as this.

Lewis Hamilton