Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes seek to continue their record-making progress as Formula One escapes in search of some autumnal sunshine at this weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix at the Algarve International Circuit. Two weeks after shivering at the Nurburgring where the six-time champion drew level with Michael Schumacher on 91 wins, the travelling circus hopes also to avoid any contact with the growing second wave of Covid-19 across Europe. The local organisers of the race, which marks Portugal's return to the calendar for the first time in 24 years since Jacques Villeneuve's stirring victory at Estoril in 1996 and Portimao's debut as an F1 race circuit, said there will be 27,500 spectators at the track each day under strictly-controlled conditions.

Little more than a week after Racing Point's Canadian driver Lance Stroll was revealed to have tested positive for coronavirus after falling ill and missing the Eifel Grand Prix, there is understandable concern at so many attending. The lure of seeing Hamilton win a record 92nd race and Mercedes take an unprecedented seventh constructors' championship is a major attraction, though the team's triumph and celebrations are likely to be delayed by at least a week to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola. Hamilton has a simple goal to claim his record win, but Mercedes need to outscore Red Bull by 40 points, a feat that would require a near perfect showing and a flop from Max Verstappen.