Ayrton Senna jadi Obsesi Lewis Hamilton Raih Tiga Gelar Juara Dunia
Lewis Hamilton is Desperate to Emulate Ayrton Senna`s Three Titles
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
LEWIS HAMILTON sangatlah sibuk meskipun musim balap sedang rehat, kerap hadir di karpet merah di berbagai ajang terkemuka dunia dan menerima berbagai penghargaan dibalut jas mahal dan topi sponsor utama.
Atas prestasinya sebagai juara F1 musim lalu, untuk kali kedua, menempatkan Hamilton kalah satu gelar dari mendiang Ayrton Senna.
Dominasi Mercedes pada pra-musim menunjukkan bahwa musim 2015 akan menjadi pertarungan penting meraih predikat bergengsi antara Hamilton - dari Stevenage, Tewin Wood, Monaco dan LA - dan rekan satu timnya Nico Rosberg.
"Satu-satunya penanda penting dari mata seorang bocah yang menonton Ayrton," kata Hamilton, yang, mengenang tragedi kecelakaan yang menewaskan Ayrton Senna saat ia berusia sembilan tahun dan menangis di belakang ayahnya yang sedang mengemudikan mobil ketika mendapat kabar sang pembalap legendaris tewas dalam kecelakaan di Imola, seperti dilansir MailOnline.
"Dia punya tiga gelar dan, meskipun saya tidak terlalu memburu gelar dan catatan rekor, saya selalu mengatakan bahwa saya ingin tiga gelar; untuk disejajarkan dengan Ayrton. Jadi jika saya meraih tiga predikat juara dunia, saya akan merasa lebih dekat dengan dia, meskipun eranya berbeda. Saya pikir tidak ada pembalap sehebat dia, tetapi itu menjadi pemicu saya untuk berprestasi lebih baik."
Gaung persaingan masa kini dengan era Senna kian terasa: seperti persaingan pembalap Brasil dengan rekan setimnya di McLaren Alain Prost, asal Prancis, masuk ke musim kedua, sama seperti Hamilton dengan Rosberg. Senna memenangkan gelar pada 1988, namun kalah dari Prost pada 1989.
Haruskah Hamilton menyerah pada Rosberg, pesaing utamanya yang berambut pirang, tipikal pembalap asal Eropa berambut pirang? Jawabannya tampaknya terletak pada kinerja Hamilton sendiri. Jika dia mampu menggali potensinya, bakat alami pasti akan membuatnya meraih gelar. Tapi, seperti biasa, dia bisa saja diterpa kerentanan emosional.
Kita ingat 2011 ketika, dia patah hati setelah ditinggal kekasihnya penyanyi-penulis lagu Nicole Scherzinger, dia tampak sangat menderita. Musim dingin ini ia kembali berpisah dari Scherzinger. Apakah itu berdampak pada jiwanya?
LEWIS HAMILTON has been busy during the off-season, parading on red carpets and awards ceremonies in suits and hats of an extravagant flavour.
or last year’s championship victory, his second, put Hamilton one behind the late Ayrton Senna
Mercedes’ pre-season dominance indicates that the 2015 season will be another straight title fight between Hamilton — of Stevenage, Tewin Wood, Monaco and LA — and his team-mate Nico Rosberg.
‘The only landmark as a kid was watching Ayrton,’ said Hamilton, who, as a nine-year-old karter hid behind his father’s car so his dad would not see him cry when he learned Senna had died at Imola.
‘He had three titles and, even though I don’t really look at numbers and records, I always said that I wanted three; to match Ayrton. So if I have a third world championship, I would feel closer to him, although it was another era. I don’t think anyone is as good as him, but it would still be a nice feeling
There are echoes now of Senna’s era: the Brazilian’s rivalry with his McLaren team-mate Alain Prost, the cerebral Frenchman, went into a second season, just as Hamilton’s is with Rosberg. Senna won the title in 1988, but lost to Prost in 1989.
So could Hamilton succumb to Rosberg, a steelier competitor than his blond, Euro-chic image once suggested? The answer would seem to lie in Hamilton’s own performance. If he drives to his potential, his natural talent will surely win him the title. But, as ever, he could be buffeted by emotional vulnerabilities.
We remember 2011 when, pained by his split from singer-songwriter girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, his form suffered badly. This winter he again split from Scherzinger. Will that have an impact on his psyche?
