Asian Motor Sports

Lewis Hamilton admits he will be inspired by the memory of Ayrton Senna when he bids for his first world title in Brazil this weekend. The legendary Senna is buried at Morumbi cemetery, 10 kilometres away from the Interlagos circuit where Hamilton hopes to be crowned on Sunday.

Two of a kind: Lewis Hamilton says he has always felt as though he had a connection with Brazilian triple world champion Ayrton Senna Photo: GETTY IMAGES

“I can still feel his presence, so to be mentioned in the same sentence as him is an honor. I don’t aim to be, nor do I believe anyone can be, another Ayrton Senna. He was one of a kind. But I aim to try to make him proud and be as good as he was one day.”

I have little doubt Hamilton holds great respect for Senna, most in the motorsport world do, but I can’t help wondering his motivation by going public with it.

I’d grant Interlagos was Ayrton’s home track, with the Brazilian GP his home F1 event and Hamilton had similar comments at last years Brazilain GP:

“As a kid, I was drawn to Senna because, for one thing, his driving style seemed to be different from anyone else’s,” Hamilton said. “And he seemed to be a daredevil. Well, not a daredevil exactly, but he always went out of his way to make sure he was at the front. Compared with all the others, he appeared never to be afraid – he seemed to me to have that little bit of an edge.”

Maybe I’m thinking too much, it wouldn’t be the first time.

Admittedly it’s not the worst public relations move ever made, see Ecclestone and Mosley for examples of that, anything that might divert the simple minds of the few racists that have again reared their ugly heads in Brazil is a good thing.

Maybe Hamilton is just getting into the spirit of the holiday, ghost and goblins and all that, or just a way to side-track the media hopefully preventing them from writing a multitude of “will Lewis have another meltdown” type stories.

In on-track news, Felipe Massa edged out World Championship rival Hamilton in the opening practice session. Massa lapped the Interlagos track in a time of one minute 12.305 seconds, his best effort being 0.190s quicker than that of Hamilton.

Hamilton was just ninth fastest in the second practice session. Former two-time world champion Fernando Alonso knocked Hamilton’s rival Massa off top spot in the closing stages of the session.

Hamilton only has to finish in the top five to take the title, but struggled in stark contrast to two weeks ago when he dominated in China en route to victory.

Conditions were hardly welcoming either as a grey, windy day was punctuated by the odd shower, upsetting any rhythm.

Heavy rain is forecast on Sunday, and as Massa has proven over the course of the season to date, he and his car have been unable to handle such conditions, and that could play into Hamilton’s hands.

Related articles:

• Lewis Hamilton can win world title by embracing Ayrton Senna spirit
• Massa fastest in opening practice for Brazilian GP
• Lewis Hamilton has Ayrton Senna ‘edge’