LEWIS ON BRINK OF MATCHING SENNA...
LEWIS HAMILTON grew up in Stevenage watching Ayrton Senna, wanting to be that guy in the redand-white car on television. He can hardly believe that he can now match his idol’s record.
Victory in Singapore this weekend would be Hamilton’s 41st win from 161 starts, an identical record to that of Senna before his death 21 years ago.
The drive is still there, of course, with a third world championship — another Senna tally in his sights — on the horizon, but Hamilton says he will look up to no one once he equals the Brazilian.
‘There will be goals that I set myself, but there won’t be anyone else who I will be looking to emulate,’ the Mercedes driver said.
‘If Ayrton hadn’t passed away he would have continued to win many more races, many more championships. In all fairness to him, while I’m matching a record that he ended with, which was fantastic at the time, it’s really his record.
‘I feel like I’ll be carrying the baton for both of us, hoping I’ll be able to continue with the strength that I’ve had until now.’
Sebastian Vettel also has 41 wins, while only Michael Schumacher (91) and Alain Prost (51) have achieved more. When Hamilton says he is winning for his idol, he means it.
Senna lost his life after crashing at the San Marino Grand Prix but his legacy extends far beyond the track, with his death leading to a safety revolution that is still saving lives. Everyone remembers Senna the racing driver, but he was so much more than that.
‘I liked the way that he stood up for himself and his beliefs,’ Hamilton said. ‘There was a certain shine in his eyes. He knew he was going to win, knew he was the best. I wanted to have that.’
Hamilton’s image away from the track i s different. He enjoys hanging out with the likes of Kanye West at New York Fashion Week and even sang on stage at a nightclub before heading to the city-state this week to race.
As a driver, he can hardly be faulted. Hamilton holds a 53-point lead over team-mate Nico Rosberg and has been almost flawless from the front this season. But Singapore throws up a different set of challenges.
The smog may have all but disappeared, but the night- time conditions, narrow street circuit and brutal humidity can all play with a driver’s mind. Rosberg has insisted he has ‘nothing to lose’ and will take off the handbrake this weekend.
Practice yesterday provided the German with much-needed hope going into the weekend. He topped the timesheets ahead of Hamilton in the first session.
The low downforce, figure- ofeight circuit also gives the other teams the chance to compete. Red Bull di s pl ayed t he bi ggest improvement, with Russian youngster Daniil Kvyat surprisingly fastest in the second session.
Back-runners Manor Marussia had a session to f orget with debutant Alexander Rossi crashing in his first session in Formula One, while British team-mate Will Stevens collided with the barrier hours later.
It wasn’t quite Hamilton’s day, but he will expect better tonight when he goes for his eighth consecutive pole position, which would be another record-equalling feat.
The man currently at the top of the pile? It could only be Senna.