Lewis Hamilton says Gerhard Berger’s claim that he is on the “same level” as Ayrton Senna is “humbling”.
The Briton’s admiration for the legendary Brazilian is well-known, with his yellow helmet while at McLaren modelled the famous design used by Senna.
So when Berger, who partnered the triple world champion while at McLaren in the early 1990s, suggested Hamilton was the only driver upto Ayrton’s level, his response was obviously pretty emotional.
“It’s the first time I’ve heard of it,” Hamilton said. “I’m really fond of Gerhard and he got to race up alongside him [Senna] and was a really good friend of his so that means a lot coming from him, someone who knew him so well.
“It’s quite humbling to even just be put in the same sentence as someone like Ayrton.
“But for me, Ayrton is always in his own light and he’s always on his own unique level that as a driver you just aspire to emulate or be like.”
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Asked what it was that attracted him to idolise Senna as he did, Hamilton continued: “I didn’t really know his personality so much apart from the small clips you were able to see.
“So it was more what he stood for, what he stood up against and what he was able to do in a car that I loved to see.
“He was the driver that inspired me as a kid and he’s still a hero today and he always will be.”
The day before, following Berger’s comments, Felipe Massa also offered his say on who would win if Senna and Hamilton had raced together.
“It would be exciting to see, no question,” the Brazilian told Austria’s Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper.
“But we will never know who would be faster. In his time, Senna was almost unbeatable, especially in qualifying.
“In terms of speed, it’s difficult to find another like him.”