Lewis Hamilton’s margin in this year’s Formula 1 championship is guaranteed to be the largest in the hybrid era, despite the World Champion not completing the full 2020 season.
Hamilton clinched the 2020 title in Turkey, and added another win – his 11th of the year – in Bahrain, before missing the country’s second round due to a positive Covid-19 test.
Hamilton’s participation in this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remains uncertain owing to his current health, Covid-19 status, and entry restrictions into the United Arab Emirates.
Formula 1 personnel have made the short trip from Bahrain to the UAE today (Monday) on a batch of chartered flights, with a section of Yas Island – the circuit and complex of six hotels located opposite the venue – designated a biosphere.
Irrespective of whether he competes this weekend Hamilton’s title-winning margin will be the largest of the hybrid era.
He is currently 127 points clear of Valtteri Bottas, meaning his winning margin will be at minimum 101 points, besting the 88 he finished ahead of Sebastian Vettel in 2018.
Vettel still holds the overall record on account of finishing 155 points clear of Fernando Alonso in 2013.
Hamilton’s points tally also means that he is guaranteed to have scored more points this year than all of Mercedes’ rivals in the Constructors’ Championship.
The last time that happened was also in 2013, when Vettel scored 397 points to the 360 gathered by WCC runners-up Mercedes.
Hamilton is the first driver to win the title despite missing a race since Michael Schumacher in 1994, and the first to clinch a title and then miss a race since Niki Lauda in 1977.
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