Inside Line: Hamilton chasing the ghost of Senna

41 and 161. Two numbers that must be thumping like an eternal drum in the mind of Lewis Hamilton. Two numbers that will forever link him to his boyhood racing hero, Ayrton Senna.

The legendary Brazilian had managed 41 wins from 161 Formula One starts before his tragic and fatal crash while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. After crushing the rest of the field in Monza, Hamilton now has 40 wins out of 160 starts; if he manages to win out in Singapore he will match Senna exactly: 41 for 161.

The statistical parallels don’t end there. Ayrton bagged three world championships in his career and Lewis is well on his way to notching up his third this year.

In podiums Lewis just surpassed his boyhood idol, winning 81 podiums compared to Senna’s 80. In 1989 Senna set the F1 record for most consecutive pole positions at eight. A pole position in the 2015 Singapore GP will give Hamilton eight as well.

Chasing the ghost of Senna is no easy task. The numbers that Hamilton has put up this year and throughout his career will surely elevate him into the pantheon of racing legends. It’s a bit dizzying, even for Lewis.

After winning in Spa last August, he remarked, "It just feels very surreal. I remember watching the races when I was five and remember the first time I drove in a go-kart and then watching Ayrton and wanting to one day be like him."

"I always said as a go-karter I wanted to do something similar to what he has done. To think that I am fighting for my third world championship, which he had and now I have the same amount of podiums as him. It’s almost like a crazy dream."

The Mercedes driver is clearly on track to realize this crazy dream and go beyond. Sadly we’ll never know the magnificent heights that Senna could have achieved, as his life was cut way too short.

Race fans can hope that Lewis will get a longer run at it. Maybe you’ll even see him in a Ferrari one day, although that is doubtful—Senna never drove in red.

Lewis: “When I think about greatness, I just know Aryton Senna. He was great.”