Will Hamilton obtain legendary status?

The 2015 Formula 1 season will be here soon. With preseason testing underway, there's one thing everyone seems certain about: Lewis Hamilton is in the perfect position to secure a second straight world championship.

A runaway favorite driving for Mercedes, particularly with Sebastian Vettel undergoing a much publicised transition to Ferrari, Hamilton seems like a sure bet to take the 2015 title barring unusual circumstances.

The real question isn't whether or not he can win in 2015. We know he can. The question is whether doing so, and the fashion in which he does it, can catapult Hamilton to legendary status. Here are a few thoughts in that regard.

The winter is a time for adjustments in Formula 1. As we mentioned in a recent article, Lewis Hamilton is pleased with the changes made to his car.

Fresh off a Constructor's Championship in 2014 (that ended a four-year run by Red Bull), Mercedes is currently at the pinnacle of F1 performance. If Hamilton feels that his car is even more efficient than it was a year ago, the rest of the field may be in big trouble.

There is an interesting observation written up in one of Betfair's early season preview articles for F1. Urging sports betting enthusiasts to back a bet that Lewis Hamilton will catch Ayrton Senna's win total in 2015, analyst James Frankland points out that Hamilton needs only nine wins to do it.

Eight would pull Hamilton equal with Senna's 41 grand prix victories, which certainly seems like enough of an achievement to launch Hamilton to unofficial legendary status. Senna is known to be one of Hamilton's heroes, so it would likely be a meaningful personal accomplishment to him, too.

Lewis Hamilton may or may not be the best driver competing today. For many, that title still belongs to Sebastian Vettel, who was knocked down more by misfortune than his own shortcomings in 2014.

But because of Hamilton's own prowess and the supremacy of Mercedes at the moment, there seems to be no doubt in the minds of analysts as to who the favorite is in 2015.

More or less every season preview and analysis you can find involves one writer or another proclaiming Hamilton as a clear favorite to win a third world title. The aforementioned betting previews, too, list Hamilton as the likely champion by fairly overwhelming odds.

If Hamilton has the 2015 campaign that pretty much everyone is expecting, he will indeed join the unofficial podium on which the great drivers of history stand.

However, don't lose sight of the fact that this is a pivotal year. Currently Hamilton's resume is stellar, but not historically great. Also, stumbling in 2015 with such huge expectations on his shoulders would be damning to his legacy.

Those hoping for some drama are likely having a hard time ignoring reports that Vettel, meanwhile, is happy with the progress of the Ferrari team. Could the driver who won four consecutive titles with Red Bull from 2010-2013 challenge Hamilton in his first year with a new team?

Could Hamilton simply succumb to pressure and fail to live up to expectations? Either is possible, though at this point both seem unlikely. Hamilton is on the verge of becoming an F1 legend; he just needs to finish the job.