LET’S HAVE it right, no one is really surprised that Lewis Hamilton is the six- time world Formula One champion because he is the best driver on the circuit in the best car.

That, however, doesn’t take away from the feat of ensuring that after 21 races throughout the F1 calendar, you’re the guy who has won the most races, the person who has demonstrated beyond any doubt that he is the best of the bunch, the driver at the top of the pile.

And, going out on a limb (not too far), it’ll be the same again next year.

He’s focused, five titles in six years tells you that. The way he has navigated this season is nothing short of masterful. The experience he has over every other driver of note on the circuit allied with his supreme talent leaves him peerless.

In short, he has to beat him- self, or be on the end of some pretty miserable mechanical luck, in order for him to lose.

The big question for me is; does he have the desire to chase the ultimate goal of recognition, a seventh and then and eighth title?

The sportsmen in him must want it. The moniker of ‘best to ever do’ – it must drive him forward, it must. Mere mortals might be filled with dread when visualising the prospect of becoming the best version of themselves, they don’t possess the knowledge that everything they desire is on the other side of fear. Hamilton knows this.

But does he have it in him to run the whole course? We’ll all have to wait and see but the signs are good.

Despite declaring this cur- rent round of contract negotiations as being the scariest he’s been a part of, the fact they are happening are a great indicator that both driver and constructor want the same thing, more success.

“There is a reason why the [Michael] Schumacher record stands – because it’s very difficult [to achieve],” said Mercedes chief Toto Wolff.

“If we’re able to provide the drivers with a good car next year, that is competitive, we continue to work on the gaps we still have, try and minimise the mistakes and he has a good sea- son, there is no reason why he couldn’t go for a seventh title.”

Reserved in his pursuit of ultimate greatness, Hamilton – who has 83 wins, 150 podiums and 87 pole positions from just 249 Grand Prix – said: “I’ve al- ways said that reaching Michael was never a target for me.

“I’m not really one that thinks of records and those kind of things. I definitely had thought that getting anywhere near Michael was just so far-fetched. And I remember having my one

[title]

for a long period of time.

“Then getting that second one, and [seven] was so far away. And now it seems so close, yet it is so far away that I still can’t really comprehend.”