Hamilton, the most ‘local’ driver who won the love of Senna fans

Until 1998, South America had two calendar dates of the Formula One: Argentina and Brazil. Unfortunately, disagreements between the Argentine organizers and the FIA ​​eliminated the race that was scheduled at the Oscar Alfredo Gálvez racetrack. The decision was so unexpected that the absence caused a gap of five weeks between date and date. An immense pain for the albiceleste fans who had recovered the test after fourteen years of absence (1982-1994) and who saw how it was disappearing again. Since that goodbye, despite flirting with the FIA, the date has not returned to Argentina. So South America stopped having two dates and today it only has one: Brazil.

This Sunday is the most anticipated date for the car fans in this part of the planet: the traditional Interlagos race. Thus, the Jose Carlos Pace racetrack, for the thirty-second consecutive time, the asphalt river of Sao Paulo will feel the vibration of the single-seaters on its mythical starting grid. Ayrton Senna’s pitch, where he won in 1991 and 1992 at the helm of a McLaren, will once again witness the defining stretch of a championship. Although the drivers’ and teams’ championship has been settled, the calendar has been managed to give us some excitement at the idea that Mercedes could finish ahead of Ferrari in the manufacturers’ tournament and that Checo Pérez won the runner-up spot from Leclerc [en la carrera sprint el mexicano le sacó un punto más y son seis de diferencia].

In the absence of local drivers in the race, Hamilton runs local. The British driver, despite being hated at the beginning by the São Paulo fans, as a result of having won the definition of the season against Massa in 1991 on the same track, today is undoubtedly the most loved. This afternoon, everyone celebrated his overtaking of Max Verstappen in the sprint race.

The break in this relationship occurred last year when Lewis arrived at Interlagos 19 points behind Max and with a five-place penalty for changing the engine of his car. On the Sunday of the race, the Briton would start tenth wearing a special helmet that paid tribute to his idol Senna and would have one of the greatest days that the racetrack remembers, managing to win the race. To cement the love with the stands, Lewis with a Brazilian flag behind him imitated Ayrton’s iconic celebration. That’s why today it doesn’t hurt to play for Hamilton. The Briton is doing well, he runs “local” and Mercedes raising the level. Solid tripod to make today a different Sunday.

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