Dominance in F1 so special for Hamilton
L e w i s H a m i l t o n s a y s securing a record- equalling seventh world championship would go "beyond his wildest dreams".
Hamilton, 35, will match Michael Schumacher's alltime title haul if he wins Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul.
T h e B r i t i s h d r i v e r c l a i me d h i s f i r s t c h a mp i o n s h i p wi t h Mc L a r e n i n 2 0 0 8 b e f o r e m o v i n g to Mercedes in 2013. His i mmi n e n t t i t l e t r i u mp h this season will be his sixth in seven remarkable years wi t h t he s p o r t ' s a l l - c o n - quering team.
"I t wa s f a r b e yo n d my wildest dreams to think I could get to seven championships," said Hamilton, 8 5 p o i n t s c l e a r o f t e a mmate Valtteri B ottas with just 104 remaining.
"Getting one world title was great and it was ver y tough to get the second. I had to make a big decision whether I stayed put and kept travelling along or do something more adventurous.
"I took that leap of faith to join Mercedes and I have won one after the other. I am just tr ying to count my blessings, but jeez, did I know we would win six world titles? No.
"I t s ays t h a t i n l i f e yo u have to ta ke that lea p of faith and do what you think i s r i g h t f o r yo u a n d n o t what people tell you to do.
Hamilton, whose £40million-a-year contract with M e r c e d e s e x p i r e s n e x t month, added: "I rememb e r w a t c h i n g M i c h a e l o n T V a n d wh e n h e g o t to seven it was like wow. Matching an icon like him would make me i n c r e d - i b l y p r o u d b u t i t i s t h e message it sends to kids which is to dream bigger t h a n yo u t h i n k y o u c a n dream."