Lewis Hamilton has called his move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013 as the best decision of not only his career but also his life after the Briton reached 51 career wins in Mexico.
The current world champion’s victory in Mexico takes him joint second on the all-time leaderboard with Alain Prost but he is still 40 behind the astonishing record set by Michael Schumacher of 91 career wins.
Since his move from McLaren to the German manufacturer, Hamilton has racked up 29 wins and secured two Formula One championships. In the same time period, McLaren has failed to win a single race and finished in their lowest ever position in the constructors championship last season.
Speaking to Autosport.com after the Mexican Grand Prix Hamilton said: “It definitely feels very surreal right now. It doesn’t feel like I’ve 51 wins, I don’t know why. That was an incredible target to get to.
“He [Prost] had 51 wins, that’s a lot of wins, and to think Michael has 91, that’s mindblowing.
“Weekend in, weekend out the team and I continue to prove it was the right decision to come here, and the best decision of my life and my career,” he added.
Hamilton heads to Brazil in a little over a week knowing if his teammate Nico Rosberg finishes on the top step, his title defence is over and the German will become the new world champion.
The three-time world champion is yet to taste victory in Brazil and has finished behind his teammate in each of the last two races at Interlagos, so history isn’t in his favour but Sao Paulo can throw up a lot of surprises just as it did when Hamilton secured his first world title in the classic race back in 2008.
He may not admit it, but no doubt he will be hoping for some similar luck this time around despite claiming his focus isn’t on the world championship.
“I’m not focusing on the championship right now. I’m just focused on these last two races, on doing my best, because I know when I’m at my best then things like the win in Mexico can happen.”
The Briton can’t even put his finger on why he has yet to taste success at Interlagos.
“I know I’ve never won in Brazil, but there’s nothing particular about there why I’ve not won.
“At McLaren I had one year when I could have, but I was taken out by Hulkenberg,” he said referring to 2012.
“Last year and the year before Nico [Rosberg] was exceptionally quick, and last year I was exceptionally close [to pole], off by 0.07s. I lost that in a gear-shift up the hill.
“Who knows? Third time lucky this year maybe.”
