Eifel Grand Prix LIVE results: Lewis Hamilton wins to equal Michael Schumacher record and stretch championship lead

Follow the latest updates from the Nurburgring as championship leader Hamilton extends his lead to 70 points with a record-equalling victory

Lewis Hamilton takes victory in the Eifel Grand Prix (Reuters)

Follow the latest updates live from the Eifel Grand Prix at the Nurburgring where Valtteri Bottas starts from pole position ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

The Nurburgring’s return to the Formula One calendar for the first time in seven years has not been short on drama, with Friday’s running completely washed out and Racing Point’s Lance Stroll ruled out with illness, meaning another call-up for Nico Hulkenberg in his place.

Qualifying also produced a surprise as Bottas left his rivals in his dust, producing a lap nearly 0.4s faster than championship leader Hamilton, who just squeezed onto the front row ahead of Red Bull’s Verstappen. There was also welcome relief for Ferrari with Charles Leclerc taking fourth ahead of the second Red Bull of Alex Albon, ahead of the two Renaults, but Sebastian Vettel starts outside of the top 10 once again after qualifying 11th. Follow live updates below.

Eifel Grand Prix latest

• TOP 5: 1. HAM 2. VER 3. RIC 4. PER 5. SAI
• RET: Russell (lap 15), Bottas (lap 19), Ocon (lap 24), Albon (lap 25)
• Hamilton takes 91st career victory to tie Michael Schumacher’s win record

[11 October 2020 13:13 · Jack de Menezes]

LIGHTS OUT!

The Eifel Grand Prix is under way!

[11 October 2020 13:10 · Jack de Menezes]

FORMATION LAP UNDERWAY!

Valtteri Bottas leads the field away for the warm-up lap.

[11 October 2020 13:09 · Jack de Menezes]

STRATEGY UNCERTAINTY

How will strategy play out?

Well, it seems your guess is as good as those in the paddock, with Red Bull reporting one of their most intense strategy meetings in memory as no one knows what will happen.

For your assistance, here’s how Pirelli expect the race to play out.

[11 October 2020 13:03 · Jack de Menezes]

HOME REPLACEMENT

A quick reminder that Nico Hulkenberg returns this weekend to replace Lance Stroll for Racing Point.

Stroll was a doubt going into the weekend, having suffered from an upset stomach since the Russian Grand Prix that does not sound very appealing at all. When confirmation came on Saturday that a replacement was needed, the call went out to Hulkenberg, who was enjoying a coffee with a friend in near-by Cologne.

Needless to say, the limited fans who are in attendance today, with up to 20,000 allowed to watch the Grand Prix, are delighted to see another German on the grid.

(Pool via REUTERS)

[11 October 2020 12:59 · Jack de Menezes]

STARTING GRID

10 minutes to go until lights out, here’s how the grid shapes up this afternoon:

1 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1min 25.269secs

2 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:25.525

3 Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:25.562

4 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:26.035

5 Alexander Albon (Tha) Red Bull 1:26.047

6 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Renault 1:26.223

7 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Renault 1:26.242

8 Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:26.458

9 Sergio Perez (Mex) Racing Point 1:26.704

10 Carlos Sainz (Spa) McLaren 1:26.709

11 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:26.738

12 Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:26.776

13 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:26.848

14 Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:26.936

15 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 1:27.125

16 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 1:27.552

17 George Russell (Gbr) Williams 1:27.564

18 Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:27.812

19 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:27.817

20 Nico Hulkenburg (Ger) Racing Point 1:28.021

[11 October 2020 12:55 · Jack de Menezes]

END RACISM

The 20 drivers gather at the front of the grid for F1’s anti-racism message, with all of them just making it in time as Sebastian Vettel jogs into position, before they head to the finish line for a rather dramatic rendition of the german national anthem.

[11 October 2020 12:53 · Jack de Menezes]

RED BULL NEGOTIATIONS

Dr Helmut Marko is proving a popular figure on the grid. The Red Bull chief is spotted talking with Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul, and then within seconds is snapped with Ferrari’s Mattia Binotto.

With Red Bull on the lookout for a new engine supplier for 2022 after Honda’s sudden withdrawal, wouldn’t you like to know what is being said within those discussions?

[11 October 2020 12:50 · Jack de Menezes]

LANDO LATEST

No concerns for Lando Norris after the engine change, although the low temperatures are proving more of an issue this weekend.

"It’s going to be a fun race, there’s a few unknowns for everyone in the paddock, not just us. We have to capitalise on any mistakes.

"We didn’t do bad laps and we were a little bit behind, but we’ll go round and try and collect some points.

“It’s exciting for us, probably not as exciting for the guys on the pit wall. It’s a challenge for everyone, it can go our way or it can not, it can go for anyone in the paddock.”

[11 October 2020 12:48 · Jack de Menezes]

HAMILTON ISSUES

There’s an early issue on the way to the grid for Hamilton, who has noticed a lot of play in the steering wheel of his Mercedes. It seems it’s an issue that they noticed after qualifying, too.

“There’s a lot of movement in my steering wheel. Did you guys not fix my steering wheel last night?” Hamilton asks.

“Negative Lewis, we didn’t get permission for that," comes the reply from race engineer Bono.

[11 October 2020 12:41 · Jack de Menezes]

QUALIFYING

It was a rare Saturday to celebrate for Valtteri Bottas as he finally got back on top in qualifying, securing pole position for the first time since the second Grand Prix at Silverstone back in August. 

Max Verstappen set the pace through Q1 and Q2, with the Red Bull looking on the pace, and the Dutchman emerged at the top following the opening runs in Q3. However, Hamilton found some pace to usurp the Red Bull, only for Bottas to go significantly faster and secure his third pole of the season.