4. Lewis Hamilton equals Schumacher's impossible record
When Michael Schumacher won his seventh world championship in 2004, most of us thought it was such a superlative achievement that we would never see it equalled in our lifetimes. But heading into 2020 it now seemed inevitable that Lewis Hamilton would do exactly that - provided the threat from coronavirus could be conquered and the season able to go ahead.
Hamilton had long since surpassed Schumacher's tally of 68 poles (he was up to 98 in Bahrain) and this season he's also exceeded Schumacher's record of 91 career wins when he claimed victory in the Spanish Grand Prix. Since then he's added six more wins and stands just two away from becoming the first driver to reach treble figures. But it was matching Schumacher's tally of titles that was the main objective this year, and that finally happened with his victory in the Turkish Grand Prix putting him out of reach of his rivals in the points standings. Which is actually just as well, as Hamilton subsequently contracted coronavirus and had to sit out the Sakhir GP; he returned for the season finale in Abu Dhabi but he was clearly still suffering the after effects of the illness and far from his best (although still perfectly good enough to ease into third place). It meant he finished the season with a 124 point advantage over his closest rival, team mate Valtteri Bottas, the pair having already ensured that Mercedes set a new record of its own at Imola by securing a seventh consecutive constructors championship.
The accolades have continued to roll in, with Hamilton winning the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year and being handed the FIA President's Award jointly with Schumacher for the achievement of seven world titles apiece and "the inspiration their sporting and personal commitments have brought to the world" with Hamilton's activism on racism, human rights and the environment has been very much driving the sport's agenda in 2020. It's even rumoured that he will finally receive the knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II that many feel should have been bestowed several years ago to put him on the same level as the likes of Bradley Wiggins, Mo Farah, Andy Murray and Alastair Cook. After that Hamilton will doubtless sign a new contract with Mercedes and set his sights on setting a new record entirely his own with an eighth title in 2021. We are undoubtedly witnessing a very special period of F1 history - enjoy it while it lasts.
