Lewis Hamilton is braced for an emotional ride in the heat of Singapore as he closes in on Ayrton Senna's victory tally.
Hamilton, who is 53 points ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in the championship, is just one win away from matching Senna's feat of 41 victories.
The Briton has often spoken of his admiration for the Brazilian who was killed at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
And ahead of this week's Singapore Grand Prix, Hamilton revealed that a win under the lights on Sunday, would rank as a poignant moment.
"It is a milestone that I am approaching in my career," said Hamilton, who will start his 161st grand prix on Sunday, also the same number Senna competed in before his death more than two decades ago.
"I have always wanted to emulate Ayrton and I am one race away from the amount of races he did and the amount he won.
"Naturally it feels pretty amazing and that was my goal as a kid. As a kid I set my goal and mind on something, and I achieved it on so many different things along the way.
"Now I set my mind on that particular goal and I am very close. I don't feel any added pressure this weekend but I imagine if I was to achieve the same amount at some stage it would be very emotional."
Hamilton is also on the brink of claiming a third world championship after he stormed to victory in Monza earlier this month.
The 30-year-old was in exemplary form in Italy as he finished quickest in every practice and qualifying session before leading from start-to-finish en route to his seventh win of the campaign. He also posted the fastest lap of the race to complete a so-called 'Grand Slam', only the second of his career.
In contrast, Rosberg, his closest rival in the title race, retired in the closing stages at Monza after an engine blow-up. It means Hamilton can afford to finish second at each of the remaining seven races and still emulate Senna as a triple world champion.
"I have prepared as best as I can to win this world championship so there is no more pressure this weekend," Hamilton added.
"I know as a kid it was not that easy to relate to anyone, particularly in F1, but I somehow found a connection with Ayrton.
"So for other kids now and different families, they come up to me now - black families, black kids coming up to me and saying they want to be me, Asian kids too - so I have seen a lot of different ethnicities and different cultures coming through and I would like to think that started with my family."
Source: PA
