Hamilton captures his 91st F1 race

NURBURG, Germany — Even Lewis Hamilton once saw Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 wins in Formula One as unbeatable. Now he’s matched it.

Schumacher’s son Mick presented Hamilton with one of his father’s old helmets after the British driver took a record-equaling 91st win at Germany’s Eifel Grand Prix.

“Seeing his dominance, 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 honor and it’s going to take some time to get used to,“Hamilton said, adding that he used to choose Schumacher as his character in a video game.

“That number’s so big and when it’s so far away it’s hard for people to perhaps fully understand how hard it was for him to go those 91 wins, to deliver weekend in and weekend out, year on year on year and stay so physically in shape and so precise. So I understand that now more than ever,“Hamilton said.

“And I can only tell you that it doesn’t get easier from your first win to 91st. I’m telling you, it’s been a long, hard run.”

Schumacher has required constant care since he sustained severe head injuries in an accident while skiing in 2013.

Hamilton took a big step closer to matching Schumacher’s record of seven titles too after his teammate Valtteri Bottas failed to finish with an engine problem. Hamilton now leads the championship by 69 points with six races to go.

Hamilton took the win by 4.5 seconds from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, with third for Daniel Ricciardo in Renault’s first podium finish since 2011.

Hamilton started faster than Bottas and had the inside line into the hairpin bend at turn one. He forced Bottas wide over a runoff area, but the Finn held on to take the lead back from Hamilton on the inside of the second corner.

Hamilton took the lead back on Lap 13 when Bottas braked late and ran wide. The Finn’s race was soon over when he complained of having “no power” and stopped in the pits with what the team said was a problem with his hybrid power unit.