Turkish president says the move is also aimed at increasing the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza
mena6 hours ago
As a child racing go-karts and dreaming of Formula One glories to come, Lewis Hamilton was always in awe of Ayrton Senna and eager to emulate him.
The Mercedes driver has matched already the late Brazilian's three championships and sailed past his 41 career wins and on Saturday, at the Monaco Grand Prix, he can equal Senna's 65 pole positions. If he does, and the Briton faces a big battle after Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel set the fastest lap ever around the harbourside circuit in Thursday practice, the location will be fitting.
This weekend is the 30th anniversary of the first of Senna's record six wins in the Mediterranean principality, with a statue unveiled at the Fairmont Hotel, in the presence of Senna's niece Bianca.
Photographs and memorabilia are also on display at the Yacht Club de Monaco.
"I'm one away from matching his qualifying record, which just doesn't seem real," said Hamilton, a Monaco resident who has had three poles in five races this year. "I feel very honoured to be up and amongst the greats.
"I don't really feel like there is any pressure. If it happens this weekend, it happens. If it doesn't, it will happen. I will get another pole at some stage."
Mercedes have won the last four Monaco Grands Prix and Hamilton, who has twice triumphed at the most glamorous of circuits, returns after a memorable victory in Spain. He is still six points behind Vettel, with the title rivals having won two races each.
Senna famously talked of a magical 'perfect lap' around Monaco after taking pole in 1988 with a time 1.4 seconds quicker than French team mate Alain Prost, who joined him on the front row.
Hamilton, with only one Monaco pole to his credit so far, played down talk of such an experience even if he loved racing around the circuit. "Of course there's an incredible feeling when you feel like you are as close to the edge, that dreamline edge that you're trying to get close to every year. I've never had that here," he said.
"I've had good laps here that have felt very close, but... you can always find millimetres here and there. That's the great thing about this sport. If we hit the perfect lap, then I don't know, what's next beyond perfect?
"I love that there's a constant chase, a constant challenge. The target's always moving, so you might touch it for just a split second, but then it shifts and moves somewhere else. That's what I love about it."
Meanwhile, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes Hamilton has changed from being a loner to become a true team player this year - and hopes that it will boost his hopes of taking pole in Monaco.
As the Formula One paddock took advantage of Friday's traditional rest day in Monte Carlo, Mercedes were busy seeking solutions to the set-up problems that saw three-time champion Hamilton fall a second behind championship leader Sebastian Vettel in Thursday afternoon's second practice. Ferrari were doing the same to ensure their advantage was consolidated with four-time champion Vettel forecasting a major fight-back from the champions.
"I am not counting out Mercedes," he said. "They probably had a problem and I am sure they will be back to full force on Saturday.
"There is plenty of time for them to sort things out. My guess is that it will be very close - and that the five-tenths we are ahead of Red Bull is not the reality. "We have been able to put it together on Thursday and I am happy about that. It was a good start into the weekend - now let's let that sink in and see that we keep the tension until Sunday."
Turkish president says the move is also aimed at increasing the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza
mena6 hours ago
In another case at the same airport, officials apprehended five foreign nationals who tried to smuggle gold worth Rs.24.4 million
asia7 hours ago
More than 2,000 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested in the past two weeks across the US
americas7 hours ago
Fireballs and Smash tied for the lead in the team event at the $25 million 54 hole tournament
sports7 hours ago
The hosts strengthened their chances of securing a slot in the semifinals with a 70-run victory in Abu Dhabi
sports8 hours ago
The group has a presence in five countries and eyes further geographic expansion, especially in India
markets8 hours ago
The severity of the situation gradually eased from Thursday evening, when it receded in the north and east of the country
weather9 hours ago
Cyclone Hidaya is predicted to cause torrential rain, strong winds and powerful and dangerous waves in the flood-ravaged country
africa9 hours ago