Hamilton wins 8th Hungarian GP to equal Schumacher F1 record

© Provided by Associated Press Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix race at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, Hungary, Sunday, July 19, 2020. (Leonhard Foeger/Pool via AP)

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix for the eighth time to equal Michael Schumacher’s single-venue record and take the championship lead on Sunday.

Hamilton’s latest victory from pole position was as comfortable as the nearly 9-second margin over second-place Max Verstappen suggested. The British driver’s 86th GP win moved him just five behind the German great Schumacher’s F1 record of 91.

Schumacher won the French GP eight times when it was held at Magny-Cours. Hamilton first won here in 2007 and his first success with Mercedes also came at the Hungaroring track in 2013, the year after replacing Schumacher on the Silver Arrows team.

© Provided by Associated Press Mechanics of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands carry a front car piece prior the the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix race at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, Hungary, Sunday, July 19, 2020. (Mark Thompson/Pool via AP)

Verstappen drove superbly to hold off Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, who finished less than one second behind him in third to relinquish the championship lead after three races.

Hamilton took a record-extending 90th career pole on Saturday to match Schumacher’s record for seven poles on the 4.4-kilometer (2.7-mile) track nestled among rolling hills outside of Budapest.

He made a clean start but Bottas made a poor one from second and was overtaken by Lance Stroll starting third; the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, and Verstappen from seventh.

Red Bull only just managed to get Verstappen’s car on the grid for the start. About 20 minutes earlier, he damaged the front wing when going over a kerb and sliding into the barriers on a warmup lap.

© Provided by Associated Press Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland steers his car during the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix race at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, Hungary, Sunday, July 19, 2020. (Leonhard Foeger/Pool via AP)

Team principal Christian Horner looked on anxiously as mechanics replaced it and repaired the suspension, working frantically fast to get his car ready. They did, with just minutes left.

In a demoralising sign of the times for Ferrari, both cars were lapped by Hamilton.

Stroll placed fourth ahead of Red Bull’s Alexander Albon, with Vettel sixth and Leclerc out of the points in 11th.

© Provided by Associated Press Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco steers his car followed by Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland during the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, Hungary, Sunday, July 19, 2020. (Joe Klamar/Pool via AP)

Hamilton and most drivers again took the knee against racism before the start.

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© Provided by Associated Press Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain, Racing Point driver Lance Stroll of Canada and Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany, from right, start at the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix race at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, Hungary, Sunday, July 19, 2020. (Mark Thompson/Pool via AP) © Provided by Associated Press Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany steers his car followed by Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco during the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, Hungary, Sunday, July 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

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