09:27
So it’s not good for Hamilton but pretty good for Hamilton – Bottas will have to go some to get by him, never mind in the rain. All Hamilton has to focus on is shutting the door, except some people aren’t built like that. At the front, Verstappen is a 4/6 favourite – not gonna lie, I had a tickle on him at 4/1 after the first practice – while Lance Stroll, at the top of the grid, is still 16s. I don’t know, is what I’m trying to say.
09:02
Preamble
There are lots of incredible sportsfolk out there, and Lewis Hamilton is already enshrined among them. But today, given a fair wind – or rain – he’ll elevate himself one step further, by joining Michael Schumacher as F1’s, er … most winningest driver.
As the great man has noted, though, it’s not just about that. Of the aforementioned incredible sportsfolk, some stand for simply being incredible at sport – Roger Federer, Lionel Messi, Michael van Gerwen – others for being incredible at sport but also for a way of being – Diego Maradona, Ronda Rousey, John McEnroe – and others still who stand for being incredible at sport and for a way of being, but ultimately for making the world a better place – Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Marcus Rashford – and Hamilton.
Those of us who are not champions cannot imagine what it takes to be a champion, and what it has taken for Hamilton to become a champion, in the sport of F1, is a whole nother thing. But what he’s doing now, so that there will never have to be another him, is very very special. He is an absolute hero, we are in absolute awe.
Back to today, if Hamilton wins, he’s champion; if he finishes above Valtteri Bottas, he’s champion; if he comes second to Bottas and Bottas doesn’t take the fastest lap bonus point, he’s champion; if Bottas doesn’t finish eight points ahead of him, he’s champion.
This is going to be epochal (probably).
Lights out: 1.10pm local, 10.10am GMT
Updated