Lewis Hamilton closing on childhood goal of matching Senna's record
Win in Singapore would see both drivers have 41 wins from 161 starts
Tuesday 22 September 2015 09:30, UK
Lewis Hamilton says it is amazing to have almost achieved his childhood goal of matching his idol Ayrton Senna's F1 record.
Victory in Singapore this weekend be Hamilton's 41st win from 161 starts, exactly the same record as Senna finished with after his untimely death at Imola in 1994.
The reigning world champion, who entered F1 with a Senna-inspired yellow helmet, is also on course to equal the Brazilian's tally of three world titles this season, enjoying a 53-point lead at the top of the standings.
"After the last race I was notified how many races I had done and to see it almost correlated with the career that Ayrton had had I just couldn't believe it," Hamilton said.
"I didn't know that over the whole nine years the course I was on. Obviously it feels pretty amazing and that was my goal as a kid.
"As a kid I set my mind on something and I achieved it. There have been so many different things along the way, but to think I set my mind on that particular goal and now I am so close.
"But it may not happen this weekend, I still have a serious challenge ahead of me, but I am just grateful to be up there."
During Sky's pre-race weekend debate, David Croft argued that while it was nice the statistics lined up for Hamilton, it is impossible to compare his career to Senna's.
"Sometimes the stars just a line and it is quite fitting that the boy who idolised Ayrton Senna when he was a young karter, and when Senna died went to the back of his caravan and cried his eyes out, could this weekend make it 41 wins from 161 starts - exactly matching Ayrton Senna," he said.
"That is why we are talking about Lewis Hamilton and Ayrton Senna, purely because of Hamilton's boyhood love for Senna have always been intrinsically linked. But in terms of their Formula 1 careers Ayrton Senna toiled around at the back of the grid in the early part of his career in a Toleman. He didn't get the luxury of a race-winning McLaren and being able to set nine podiums in a row in his first nine races and that is where I don't think you can compare their two careers."
