Hamilton drives Senna’s 1990 McLaren at Interlagos · RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton demonstrated the McLaren that Ayrton Senna raced to his second world championship after today’s qualifying session.

The seven-times world champion is a long-time fan of the Brazilian ace, who won the world title in 1988, 1990 and 1991, and died 30 years ago in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix.

“I couldn’t believe I just had the chance to do that,” said Hamilton after his run. “It was really the greatest honour of my career.”

“It’s very, very emotional. I was just revisiting my childhood as I was watching Ayrton race here as I kid.”

Sebastian Vettel demonstrated Senna’s last McLaren when F1 returned to Imola, the scene of his final race, earlier this year. Hamilton took to the Interlagos circuit in an MP4/5B of the type Senna drove in 1990.

“I never in a million years thought I’d ever get to drive Senna’s car here,” said Hamilton on Thursday. “Someone contacted me, my manager told me about it, and I jumped at the opportunity.”

It is the second time Hamilton has had the chance to drive one of his childhood hero’s cars. “When I was at McLaren, I did get the chance to drive the MP4/4 around Silverstone, which was incredible,” he said.

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“But the thought of driving that car around here. I remember the races where he was, when he finally won here and held the flag and yeah, it will definitely be quite an emotional experience and I hope people are here to see it.”

The 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix was the first time Senna raced in front of a crowd in his home city, after the race relocated to the Interlagos from Jacarepagua in Rio de Janeiro. He was still looking for his first win on home ground at that time, and was frustrated again on that occasion, throwing the lead away just after half-distance when he collided with Satoru Nakajima while lapping the Tyrrell driver.

The MP4/5B won six races, all in Senna’s hands. He clinched the drivers’ championship in the penultimate race in a notorious incident: Senna slammed his car into Alain Prost’s Ferrari as they approached the first corner at the Japanese Grand Prix.

The MP4/5B extended Honda’s run of success in the world championship. The normally-aspirated 690bhp RA100E V10 delivered the fifth of six consecutive constructors’ titles powered by the Japanese manufacturer’s engines.

Although Ferrari introduced semi-automatic gearboxes to F1 the year before, McLaren still had an H-pattern shift in 1990. Hamilton has only raced with wheel-mounted gearshifts in F1, but expects no problems with the MP4/5B’s transverse, six-speed gearbox.

“I’m always heel-and-toeing,” he said. “It used to be really good when I was younger, and when I did the MP4/4, I was able to do it back then.

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It’s something I miss. I wish we had that in Formula 1. I mean, the two-pedal thing is just not exciting, and they need to bring back the H-Box.”

Despite wet conditions at the track, Hamilton’s run went smoothly. “I did one or two more laps than I was supposed to,” he admitted afterwards.

Pictures: Hamilton in Senna’s 1990 McLaren MP4/5B

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