SAO PAULO (AP) — British driver Lewis Hamilton has won seven Formula One titles, holds multiple records and has recorded some of the fastest laps in history. But the biggest honor of his career, according to the 39-year-old, came on Sunday as he drove the late Ayrton Senna’s title-winning car around Interlagos ahead of this afternoon’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

Some fans in the stands had tears in their eyes as Hamilton knelt in front of the car in reverence.

Wearing an all-white racing suit, Hamilton did some laps in the rain in the historic McLaren MP4/5B that Senna drove during his 1990 title campaign, in which he beat Ferrari’s Alain Prost. Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Rebeca Andrade showed the Mercedes driver the checkered flag while carrying a Brazilian flag in her right hand, imitating what the legendary three-time champion did after many of his victories.

Senna died after the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. His legacy is ever present at Interlagos, where he won in 1991 and 1993.

“It’s very emotional, naturally,” Hamilton said while holding the Brazilian flag on his back. “I was reliving my childhood while watching Ayrton race here. I can’t believe I’m getting this opportunity.

“It is the greatest honor of my career to do it in front of this incredible crowd in Brazil,” said Hamilton, who in 2022 became an honorary Brazilian citizen by motion of the country’s congress.

During his time at McLaren, Hamilton drove Senna’s MP4/4 car around Silverstone in 2009 for a British television show.

On his social media channels, the British driver added that the weekend is not going for him at the moment, but that he can still enjoy the moment with Senna’s car.

“I won my first championship here, I had my best drive here and now to be in this country as an honorary citizen driving my hero’s car is almost too much to comprehend. “It doesn’t feel real,” he said. “It is a great honor and I will remember it as one of the highlights of my life.”

Battling with Mercedes this season, the British driver joked that he had “the best drive of the entire weekend.” He will start Sunday’s race in 14th place. Heavy rain in Sao Paulo delayed much of Saturday’s action until Sunday morning, including the tribute to Senna.

“I would race that car today if I could,” Hamilton said. The British driver, who will move to Ferrari next season, is sixth in the drivers’ championship.

Luciane D’Angelo, 45, was one of the tearful fans who watched Hamilton drive at Interlagos. As a child, she used to watch F1 races with her father, who is currently suffering from a serious illness that he does not reveal.

“I cry because Ayrton’s tragic death still leaves us with this enormous void. It made the children of that time enjoy Sundays with the family even more. “He was not only one of the best F1 drivers in history, but also a person that every Brazilian learned to admire,” he said.

Earlier this year, four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel drove Senna’s 1993 McLaren in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix as part of tributes to the Brazilian driver on the 30th anniversary of his death.

Former Brazilian drivers were divided over whether to hand Senna’s tribute to his unconditional fan, Hamilton. Rubens Barrichello said a Brazilian driver who had shared some time in F1 with the three-time champion would have been a better choice.

Two-time champion Emerson Fittipaldi said in an interview that it was unethical for organizers to choose the British driver. But Felipe Massa, who lost the 2008 title to Hamilton near the end of that year’s race at Interlagos, agreed to the move.

“Of course I wanted to drive it myself. But I respect the decision of the Senna family, the fans will love to see a big fan of Ayrton like Hamilton driving his car here,” Massa said on Saturday. “In the end, every driver would love to have that honor.”

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