Lewis Hamilton could lay claim the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship this weekend in Turkey, bagging a record-equalling world title in the process.
If Hamilton finishes Sunday’s racing with a 78-point advantage, he will claim the title and equal Michael Schumacher’s long-standing record of four successive world championships, as well as his record of seven titles in total.
Right now, he’s 85 points ahead of fellow Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas. Mathematically, the Finn is the only man who can still challenge Hamilton for the honour.
Due to the current standings, Bottas must out-score his teammate by eight points if he is to remain in the running.
However, a win for Hamilton would clinch the honours regardless of where Bottas finishes this weekend, while if he were to finish second, the title would also be his so long as the Finn does not win and take the fastest lap point.
While Hamilton has all-but confirmed individual honours for the season, team Mercedes have already clinched a seventh world title, with Red Bull no longer able to catch their points total.
If the British driver wins this weekend, it will be his earliest title win since the 2015 season – with three rounds still remaining after this weekend’s racing.
Hamilton will become the oldest driver to win the championship since Damon Hill, way back in 1996.
With Hamilton and Mercedes so dominant at the top of the table – and Red Bull comfortably laying claim to second place – the fiercest competition in the Constructors’ Championship has been for the third spot.
Renault (135 points), McLaren and Racing Point (both 134 points,) are all in the running, with Ferrari lagging 31 points behind them in sixth position.
The drivers’ standings see Hamilton with a huge lead on 282 points. Next up, Bottas has just 197 and in third place Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has 162. Then there’s another huge gap in the scoring, back to Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo on 95.
British racing fans will be eagerly awaiting a successor to Hamilton’s throne – and with two other British drivers edging their way into the standings, there may be hope.
Seventh place Lando Norris has picked up 69 points for McLaren this year. The British-Belgian driver, born in Bristol, signed for McLaren in 2019 and is already achieving big things, including finishing third in the Austrian Grand Prix this year, (following a penalty for Lewis Hamilton, which saw Norris elevated from fourth to third place).
Also notable is George Russell, another young British driver making a name for himself. The Norfolk-born driver signed for Williams in 2019 and recently finished 11th in the Tuscan GP, when a disastrous finish denied the young Brit his first Drivers’ Championship points. He’s one to watch.
So there you have it, this weekend could play host to Lewis Hamilton winning his SEVENTH Drivers' Championship. Remarkable.