Lewis Hamilton’s Monaco crash, Senna-inspired comeback and ‘highlight of his career’

F1 preview: A lap of the Monaco Grand Prix

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When Sir Lewis Hamilton wins in the wet, it often feels like deja vu. Somehow, some way, he finds a line that gives him more grip, or a few tenths that pushes him into pole. And it’s that magical factor which can be traced all the way back to his maiden triumph in Monaco 13 years ago.

The Formula 1 2021 season heads to the glamorous streets of Monaco for the first time in two years after it was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. For Hamilton, it’s only a short ride to reach the circuit, sailing down the steep hills of the principality on his favourite method of transport: his trusted scooter.

Frankly, there is no other place he would rather win than clinching victory on the land of his adopted home. No one can deny he loves Britain and has experienced a wealth of success at Silverstone, but Monaco holds cherished memories for the Mercedes star.

In his illustrious career, Hamillton has won 98 races and it would take something catastrophic to prevent him from becoming a F1’s only centurion during the 2021 season.

The 36-year-old can become the first driver in history to win eight titles this season but faces a genuine challenge from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, with the pair separated by 14 points going into the Monaco Grand Prix.

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But a quick glance at the record books shows that Hamilton has one three times in Monaco. It’s a track that despite his dominance in F1 over the past eight years, he has struggled to make his own.

His maiden Monaco win arrived 13 years ago in his second season in F1 when he was driving with McLaren, the team that had supported him through his karting days.

Hamilton had enjoyed a rookie campaign like no other in 2007, winning four races to finish second in the world championship behind Kimi Raikkonen.

He began his second season in the right manner, winning in Australia but with Felipe Massa impressing at Ferrari, he knew he had a fight on his hands.

Sure enough, it was Massa who secured pole and Raikkonen completing the front-row lockout. But with wet conditions on the race start, it was Hamilton who pulled off a gutsy move to leapfrog the Finn into second position.

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Chasing down Massa for the lead, Hamilton was struggling for grip on the wet surface and soon paid a heavy price. Going into Tabac, he felt the rear of his McLaren give out on him just enough to clip the barriers, forcing him to limp back to the pits with a puncture on the right rear tyre.

Rejoining in fifth behind his former team-mate Fernando Alonso and fuelled for a longer stint, Hamilton set about atoning for his error.

There was some luck gifted to him on the way as the conditions grew even more treacherous. Hamilton climbed up into the podium places when Kimi Raikkonen was handed a drive through penalty.

Later on, with the standing water on the track becoming more Monaco harbour than the roads of Monte Carlo, Massa aquaplaned off the road at Saint Devote and Kubica took the lead.

But it was a high-speed shunt from Nico Rosberg, then racing for Williams, which brought out the safety car — and that played perfectly into McLaren’s hands.

Hamilton’s strategy had worked a treat when the track dried out and he came out in front of Kubica and Massa, leading the race for the first time in Monaco.

From there, Hamilton led the pack with a cool head round the tight corners and needed no further motivation as he took the checkered flag as a race winner for the first time in Monaco.

Pumping his fists in the cockpit, the outpour of emotion was clearly visible. He had become the first Englishman to win in the principality since Graham Hill achieved the feat in 1969 and naturally was feeling euphoric.

“I apologise for hitting the barrier, but I made up for it alright? Let’s go party tonight!” Hamilton said on the radio after the race.

In the post-race interview, Hamilton was in a more reflective mood and for the rising star, there was a realisation that this could be the making of his career, putting him on the path to emulating his idol Ayrton Senna.

“This has got to be the highlight of my career and I am sure it will continue to be the highlight for the rest of my life,” he said.

“I remember on the last few laps I was just thinking that Ayrton Senna won here a lot of times and to win here would be amazing.

“[From] the last corner onwards, I was screaming my head off basically, making sure the radio was off, but just so happy that I was able to pull it off.”

It was proof, if it was ever required, that the then-23-year-old was a star in the making.

He and Massa enjoyed an incredible battle for the 2008 title and it all went down to the last lap of the final race of the season at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Interlagos.

Hamilton, needing sixth to clinch the championship, had endured a nightmare race and forced to fight through the midfield in rainy conditions. Massa, leading from the front, had the look of a true champion as he crossed the line.

The party lasted for only 20 seconds or so, as Hamilton got past a struggling Timo Glock on the final corner before heading up the straight to win his first title.

Another six more titles have followed, and surely there can be no debate that he is the best to have graced the sport. Certainly, the records suggest it.

There are very few things left in F1 that Hamilton cannot accomplish, but he still has some way to go before equalling Senna’s incredible record of six Monaco trophies — five of which were consecutive wins spanning from 1989 to 1993.

Even if he stays at Mercedes beyond 2021, time is no longer on Hamilton’s side and maybe he can accept eclipsing Senna at Monaco is out of his reach.

But if it’s any consolation, finishing ahead of Verstappen again on Sunday would put the ‘eighth’ within his grasp — and clinching that would put him above the rest, including Senna.

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