SOCHI • Lewis Hamilton is looking to equal Michael Schumacher's record 91 Formula One wins at the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi on Sunday, despite fears over a potential coronavirus fallout from allowing 30,000 fans to attend.

The six-time world champion will be a clear favourite to succeed on a track where he has triumphed four times in six years.

He has also reeled off six wins in nine races this season to open up a 55-point lead over Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the title race. That included the previous event at Tuscany's Mugello circuit, which held around 2,000 fans.

But Sochi is prepared to host a major F1 crowd for the first time in the Covid-19 era, and the venue will also see the Mercedes team shadowed by a Netflix film crew.

The organisers say 30,000 spectators are expected and that the race is sold out.

The cameras will be recording content for the third Drive To Survive series - and tiptoeing around their subjects, hoping to avoid a repeat of events in Germany last year.

Then, at the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, run in teeming rain, Mercedes celebrated 125 years of motor sports with their worst performance of the season - a flu-struck Hamilton ending ninth and Bottas crashing out from fourth spot.

"It made a very entertaining episode for Netflix," said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff. "But this time, we hope we can have great content - and have a great race."

Russia has exceeded one million cases of Covid-19 - one of only four nations to do so - and after nine events run behind closed doors in strictly controlled bubbles, this relaxation of the tight controls has not been welcomed warmly by all in the paddock.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

F1 RUSSIAN GP

Practice 1 (3.55pm) & 2 (7.55pm) Singtel TV Ch114 & StarHub Ch208