Gunners fans turn on Unai
WINS: 83
PODIUMS: 150
POLE POSITIONS: 87
FASTEST LAPS: 46
GP STARTED: 248
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 6 (2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019)
Hamilton was the youngest world champion when he won his first title in 2008 – a record since broken by Sebastian Vettel – and 11 years later he is firmly among the elite.
His tally of pole positions is the most ever and, still only 34, he has time to push for Schumacher’s other records. The German won his last title at the age of 35 and his final race at 37.
Hamilton’s Mercedes team rolled up for the season opener in Melbourne expecting Ferrari to dominate. The Italian team impressed during pre-season testing, with the overwhelming evidence suggesting Mercedes would start the year on the back foot. But Hamilton put his car on pole, with team-mate Valtteri Bottas joining him on the front row. While Hamilton would have to settle for second after Bottas beat him to the opening corner, Mercedes’ ominous pace set the scene for the opening third of the campaign. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who was expected to be Hamilton’s main challenger for the title, finished an eye-watering 58 seconds behind the winner.
Hamilton bounced back from defeat against Bottas by going on to win six of the next seven races, culminating in his best-ever start to a season. Hamilton’s sixth triumph of the year arrived at the Paul Ricard Circuit. The Brit won by almost 20 seconds in a race widely derided as one of the dreariest in recent memory. But Hamilton was now already 36 points ahead of Bottas and 76 clear of Vettel.
An off-colour weekend followed for Hamilton in Austria as he finished only fifth. But the Briton returned to form in style in front of a bumper 141,000 crowd at Silverstone. Bottas was set to play the role of party pooper after he held Hamilton off in a frenetic opening few laps. However, the race turned on its head when Antonio Giovinazzi beached his Alfa Romeo. The ensuing safety car allowed Hamilton to take the lead, and claim a record sixth win in front of his adoring fans.
Hamilton arrived in Budapest wounded by a torrid showing in Hockenheim where he spun from the lead and finished ninth. He then delivered probably the best display of his championshipwinning year. Trailing Max Verstappen, Mercedes rolled the strategy dice, pitting Hamilton for fresh rubber. Hamilton was given 21 laps to wipe out Verstappen’s 21-lap lead. It seemed improbable – Hamilton himself questioned the call on the radio – but the Mercedes star turned in a catalogue of spellbinding laps to catch and then fly round the outside of Verstappen with just three laps left. His Mercedes boss Toto Wolff described Hamilton’s performance as from a “different dimension”.
Following a torrid opening half of the year, Ferrari became the team to beat following the sport’s summer break. Hamilton should never have been in contention to win in Sochi, but bumbling Ferrari threw away a certain one-two after Vettel broke down and Charles Leclerc dropped from first to third. The win, Hamilton’s ninth of the year, took him 73 points clear at the championship summit with just 130 to play for – a sixth title surely inevitable.
UNAI EMERY is facing a make-or-break month as he fights to save his job as Arsenal manager.
The Gunners are determined to give Emery every chance to turn things around and have denied reports suggesting their head of football Raul Sanllehi has met with Jose Mourinho.
But if Arsenal did want Mourinho they might have to act quickly. The Portuguese coach was linked with the Bayern Munich job last night after the Germans sacked their manager Niko Kovac.
Emery is under mounting pressure at the Emirates and Arsenal have spelt out that they expect the Spaniard to finish in the top four this season.
Arsenal could slip nine points behind the top four if they lose at Leicester on Saturday.
And the club could act if they are in danger of missing out by Christmas.
Emery insists he will not walk away but the fans are losing faith and that could be the biggest obstacle to the former Paris StGermain boss surviving.
More than 55,000 Arsenal fans have voted in an online poll on Emery’s future – with 88 per cent wanting him gone after his team were booed off after the 1-1 draw with Wolves on Saturday.
Emery is struggling to keep the players onside amid an indifferent start to the campaign, even though the club backed him in the summer transfer window. MATCH ACTION: SEE PULLOUT