Nürburgring (Germany) (AFP)

Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) tied German Michael Schumacher's record 91 Formula 1 victories on Sunday by winning the Eifel GP ... in Germany.

Hamilton's first F1 victory dates back to the 2007 season, at the Canadian GP in Montreal, in a Mercedes-powered McLaren.

And it was Mick Schumacher, the son of "Schumi", who gave Lewis Hamilton a helmet from his father before the Briton stepped onto the podium for the 160th time in his 261 Grand Prix F1 career.

To win his 7th victory in 2020, Hamilton won ahead of the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), still placed, and the Australian Daniel Ricciardo who gave Renault his first podium since 2011.

Starting from second place on the Nürburgring grid, Hamilton benefited from the mechanical problems of his teammate Valtteri Bottas, forced to retire on the 17th lap out of the 60 that this 11th round of the season included.

In the world championship, Hamilton is now 69 points ahead of Bottas and 83 over Verstappen.

A hole.

Barring a huge disaster, he is on track to equal this year another record of the legendary German driver by winning a 7th Formula 1 world champion title.

For the Renault team, this is the first podium for nine years, with at the time, the 3rd place of another German, Nick Heidfeld, at the Malaysian GP 2011. Without counting of course the period during which Renault F1 was called Lotus F1 Team, as of 2012.

Sergio Pérez (Racing Point) and Carlos Sainz (McLaren), after having engaged in a magnificent fight, took the 4th and 5th positions.

As for Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), winner at Monza at the beginning of September, he took 8 points from 6th place just ahead of Charles Leclerc's Ferrari.

Nico Hülkenberg arrived on Saturday morning at a moment's notice to replace ailing Lance Stroll at Racing Point, had a solid race and finished 8th, ahead of Romain Grosjean (Haas) and Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo), who completed the Top 10.

"Hulk", ex-Renault driver and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, undoubtedly took advantage of the lack of preparation of the entire field: free practice 1 and 2 were canceled on Friday due to the lack of safety caused by the weather conditions.

© 2020 AFP