Lewis Hamilton is just six wins away from matching Michael Schumacher’s Formula One record, after clinching the Styrian Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday.
Hamilton’s record-extending 89th career pole on a rain-drenched track was one of his best in extreme conditions.
During the race he was hardly challenged as he finished a sizeable 13.7 seconds ahead of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and 33.7 ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Bottas won last weekend’s season-opening Austrian GP on the same Red Bull Ring track in Spielberg at the foot of the Styrian mountains – hence the name change.
Like last Sunday, drivers again wore black T-shirts with “End Racism’’ and most took the knee a few moments before the national anthem.
Leclerc earlier apologised to Ferrari and his teammate Sebastian Vettel after causing a first-lap collision that put both drivers out of the race.
Both cars suffered damage and returned to the pits, with four-times world champion Vettel wheeled into the garage while Leclerc rejoined in last place after having a new front wing fitted.
The Monegasque, whose car was tipped onto Vettel’s after he tried a lunge down the inside of the German and hit a kerb in the turn three incident, retired on lap five.
The 22-year-old recognised he had been over-optimistic in his move.
“I apologised. Obviously, excuses are not enough in times like this,” the youngster told Sky TV.
