British driver Lewis Hamilton has won seven Formula One titles, holds multiple records and has clocked some of the fastest laps in history. But the greatest honor of his career, according to the 39-year-old, came on Sunday as he drove the late Ayrton Senna’s title-winning car around Interlagos ahead of this afternoon’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
Some fans in the stands had tears in their eyes as Hamilton knelt in front of the car in reverence.
Wearing an all white racing suit, Hamilton took some laps under falling rain in the historic McLaren MP4/5B that Senna drove during his 1990 title campaign, in which he beat Ferrari’s Alain Prost. The Mercedes driver was shown the checkered flag by Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Rebeca Andrade as he carried a Brazilian flag with his right hand, mimicking what the legendary three-time champion did after many of his victories.
Senna died after the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. His legacy is ever present at Interlagos, where he won in 1991 and 1993.
“It is very emotional, naturally,” said Hamilton as he held the Brazilian flag on his back. “I was revisiting my childhood as I watched Ayrton racing here. I can’t believe I am having this opportunity.
“It is the greatest honor of my career to do it in front of this amazing crowd in Brazil,” said Hamilton, who in 2022 became an honorary Brazilian citizen by a motion of the country’s congress.
Struggling with Mercedes this season, the British driver jokingly said he had “the best drive in the whole weekend.” He clocked only the 16th fastest lap during qualifying in the morning. Heavy rain in Sao Paulo delayed much of Saturday’s action to Sunday morning, including the tribute to Senna.
“I would race with that car today if I could,” Hamilton said. The British driver, who will move to Ferrari next season, is sixth in the drivers’ championship.
Earlier this year, four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel drove Senna’s 1993 McLaren at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix as part of tributes to the Brazilian driver on the 30th anniversary of his death.
Former Brazilian drivers were split about handing the tribute to Senna to his hardcore fan Hamilton. Rubens Barrichello said a Brazilian driver who shared some time in F1 with the three-time champion would have been a better choice.
Two-time champion Emerson Fittipaldi said in an interview that it was “unethical” for organizers to pick the British driver. But Felipe Massa, who lost the 2008 title to Hamilton near the end of that year’s race at Interlagos, agreed with the move.
“Of course, I wanted to drive it myself. But I respect the decision of the Senna family, fans will love to watch a big fan of Ayrton’s like Hamilton driving his car here,” Massa said on Saturday. “In the end, every driver would love to have that honor.”
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