Lewis Hamilton set the new record for most race wins in F1 history when he finished first in the Portuguese Grand Prix Sunday. This gives the British driver 92 victories, passing the legendary Ferrari racer Michael Schumacher.
"I could only have ever dreamed of where I am today," Hamilton said after the race. "It's gonna take some time to sink in. I can’t find the words at the moment."
Hamilton was racing from the pole position. After a minor setback in the first few laps that left him in third behind McLaren's Carlos Sainz and Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton slinked his way back into the lead as the field struggled with tire temperature on the dreary day in Portimão. Hamilton personally battled cramps in his right calf down the stretch as he had a double-digit interval lead over Bottas, who finished second. Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished third.
In the crowd to celebrate the momentous victory was Hamilton's father, Anthony, who introduced the world champion to the sport when he was a child. Anthony worked multiple jobs to finance his son's passion and put him on the track to his historic career. The two shared a hug on the track after the race finish.
Overall, Hamilton has 70 wins with Mercedes after gaining 22 with McLaren at the beginning of his career. He's expressed a strong commitment to his current team and works closely with the technicians to create a true collaborative effort in his history-making victories.
"It's almost a surreal amount of wins," Mercedes Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff said after the race.
Hamilton, who is known not only for winning but for using his platform to raise awareness about social justice issues, started the day wearing a shirt calling out police brutality in Nigeria. There has been a viral movement on social media to #ENDSARS and bring justice to those who have been victims of abuse of power in the African country.
Hamilton tied the record for most F1 race wins in the previous race and received a helmet of Schumacher's from his son, Mick. He also broke Schumacher's record for most podiums when he won the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this season. If he wins the 2020 championship, he will tie Schumacher's record of most titles with seven.
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