Hamilton “humbled” to be honoured by Schumacher’s family
Lewis Hamilton says he felt “incredibly humbled” to be honoured by Michael Schumacher’s family after equalling his record for Formula 1 victories in Sunday’s Eifel Grand Prix.
Hamilton scored the 91st win of his F1 career at the Nurburgring to move level with Schumacher’s victory tally, ending the German’s spell as the sole record holder that dated back to the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix.
To mark the achievement, Hamilton was presented with one of Schumacher’s helmets from his final season in F1 at Mercedes by the seven-time world champion’s son, Mick. Hamilton and Schumacher Jr shared a few words during the presentation, and Hamilton admitted he would take time to get used to holding such a place in F1 history.
Asked about the presentation by Schumacher Jr., Hamilton said that he felt touched to have another to add to his collection.
“I actually already have one of Michael’s helmets,” said Hamilton. “One of the really, really special moments for me, in Abu Dhabi 2012, I went over to the Mercedes hospitality, and met with Michael, and we exchanged helmets.
“That, for me, was a moment that I’ll never forget, to stand with someone that I grew up watching on TV, and having the honour of exchanging jerseys or helmets, it's what us sportsmen do, and it’s the highest sign of respect that you can really show. To have the legend of the sport do that with me was really special.
“Having his family honour me today, I’m just incredibly humbled. His son is such a great, bright talent, and just a really genuine human being. Michael has obviously raised a great man in him, and I look forward to seeing how his career will look moving forwards.
“Now I have two special helmets from Michael in my small living room.”
Hamilton had largely dismissed questions surrounding the record in the lead-up to the race weekend, but acknowledged after the race that this victory stood out from others.
“It’s definitely not just another win,” added Hamilton. “Over this past hour or so, I’ve really tried to contemplate and realise what it is that we’ve done, and what I’ve been able to achieve.
“I would say for the next couple of days, that’s where my mind is going to be at. It’s hard to find the right words and to be able to compute exactly.
“It definitely is a special one. I called my dad and [step-mum] Linda, and spoke to them. Definitely a lot of emotions today.”
Previous article
Alonso set to test for Renault F1 in Barcelona next week
Next article
Hamilton wants memory of matching Schumacher to "stick"
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Event | Eifel GP |
| Drivers | Lewis Hamilton , Michael Schumacher |
| Author | Luke Smith |
How 2021's midfielders have taken lessons from F1's top teams
Formula 1’s latest Imola adventure turned into an expensive trip for many teams due to several crashes throughout the weekend. While balancing the books is an added factor in 2021 with the cost cap, a few midfield teams have cashed in early on development investments.
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Driver Ratings
A frantic wet race at Imola produced plenty of excitement and drama as drivers scrabbled for grip. Amid the hatful of mistakes and incidents that ensued, who kept their noses cleanest?
How the Emilia Romagna GP result hinged on three crucial saves
Rain before the start of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix promised to spice up the action, and the race certainly delivered on that. Max Verstappen got the best launch to win from Lewis Hamilton, but both got away with mistakes that could have had serious consequences
The back-bedroom world-beater that began a new F1 era
The first in a line of world beaters was designed in a back bedroom and then constructed in a shed. STUART CODLING recalls the Tyrrell 001
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping .
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is no guarantee.
The themes to watch in F1's Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
