Lewis Hamilton's F1 Legacy?

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, F1, AGP. (C)

    It's always difficult to compare elite sportsmen from different eras, and Formula One is no exception. The circuits have changed, the machinery has progressed technologically, safety vastly improved. With this weekend's F1 night race in Singapore, talk has predominately revolved around Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton's F1 statistics and their similarity to the great Ayrton Senna. Whilst a name as evocative as Senna provokes passionate parochialism amongst fans, you cannot deny that the figures possess an uncanny resemblance. 
    Lewis Hamilton missed out on Ayrton Senna's 26 year record of 8 consecutive pole positions by qualifying on the third row of the grid for tonight's Singapore GP. However, other stats deserve mention. Despite the tight confines of the Marina Bay circuit offering little to promote overtaking, if Hamilton is the first to pass the chequered flag tonight, he'll equal Ayrton Senna's record of 41 wins from 161 race starts. At the last GP at Monza, Hamilton had acquired 81 podiums to Ayrton's 80. He's also achieved five consecutive wins compared to Ayrton's four, 25 wins from pole position compared to Ayrton's 29, and 84 front row starts to Ayrton's 87. The rest of the 2015 F1 season seems close to being a mere formality regarding Hamilton winning and therefore equaling Ayrton's record of 3 driver's world championships. Only a remarkable change of fortune would deny Lewis Hamilton emulating his childhood hero later this season.
    So how will Lewis Hamilton be revered when he eventually retires from F1? His win tally (40 wins) is staggering. Equal with current Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel, and bettered only by Ayrton Senna (41), Alain Prost (51) and Michael Schumacher (91). We can only imagine where the final number of victories will rest. Will Lewis be touted as one of the greatest grand prix drivers of all time? And what legacy will Lewis leave? F1 supremo Bernie Eccelstone has often stated that Lewis does more to promote the sport than any of the current crop of drivers and recent champions, and credits him with sparking interest in F1 from the younger generation. The daunting prospect for his rivals is he's only 30 and still has more to achieve in Formula One.
    Ciao....      

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