27 November,2020 07:30 AM IST | Sakhir (Bahrain) | Abhishek Takle
Lewis Hamilton
Newly-crowned seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will have his sights set on rounding off a dominant season with a flourish as Formula One heads into its season ending triple-header starting with Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Briton, who had surpassed Michael Schumacher's record haul of wins, pole positions and podiums, became Formula One's most successful driver ever after he equalled the German great's tally of seven titles at the last race in Turkey.
Three wins from the final three races will see him tie another of the Ferrari legend's records, making him only the third driver after Schumacher and Vettel to win 13 races in a year and the 2020 season his most successful in Formula One yet.
"There's just no end to what we can do together, me and this team," said Hamilton, who has averaged 10 wins a season for the last six years but never scored more than 11 victories in a campaign, after the race in Turkey.
"I feel like I'm only just getting started."
With Mercedes utterly dominant, winning 12 of the 14 races so far, Hamilton will be favourite for victory on Sunday.
The 35-year-old has won at the 5.4 kilometer Sakhir circuit thrice including last year when he inherited victory from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc who was hobbled by engine problems.
Still, he his team mate Valtteri Bottas will be determined to banish the demons of a miserable Turkish Grand Prix which he finished one lap down on Hamilton in 14th after spinning six times.
Sunday's race marks the start of the final leg of Formula One's COVID-19 shortened 17-race season.
It flags off a Middle Eastern triple header, with a second race in Bahrain around the Sakhir track's shorter 'outer loop' following immediately the next weekend, before the season finale in Abu Dhabi the weekend after.
The three races will decide the battle for fourth in the drivers' standings while third in the constructors' tables is also up for grabs, with both battles hotly contested.
Thailand's Alexander Albon is yet to be confirmed alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull, with Mexican Sergio Perez and super-sub Nico Hulkenberg in the frame as potential replacements.
Japanese Formula Two racer Yuki Tsunoda is widely expected to replace Russian Daniil Kvyat alongside Pierre Gasly at Red Bull sister-team AlphaTauri.
American outfit Haas is also yet to announce its drivers for next year with Ferrari-backed Formula Two championship leader Mick Schumacher, son of Michael, in the frame for one of the seats.
Hamilton, out of contract at the end of the year, is also yet to put pen to paper on a new deal with an extension expected to be a formality.
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