Lewis Hamilton said it felt “unreal” after triumph in the Japanese Grand Prix, he came on the same level with his childhood legend Ayrton Senna on 41 race wins.
“It’s quite an emotional day. I’m full of joy and happiness and light,” said Hamilton.
He protected the first-lap overwhelm of Nico Rosberg, which constrained his Mercedes partner wide and he dropped to fourth before battling back to second.
Hamilton is currently 48 scores clear of the German in the title race.
“The inside line is the inside line, so it was my corner,” said the 30-year-old British driver.
“I can imagine Nico was running out of road, but that’s what happens when you’re on the outside.”
Rosberg said: “It got really close on the exit of Turn Two and I had to back out of it there and that lost me the race.”
“I haven’t seen it on TV. For sure it was close. I had to avoid a collision. But it is difficult to comment now.”
On Sunday, it was Hamilton’s 162nd race, which is one more than Senna began in a vocation that finished deplorably at Imola in 1994.
At Suzuka, the Brazilian won twice in 1988 and 1993 and Hamilton’s triumph was additionally his second at the circuit.
“For me to win here at a race where I loved watching Ayrton drive and to match his wins, it doesn’t feel real at the moment,” he said.
Rosberg and Hamilton were cautioned a year ago not to hazard taking one another out in dashing circumstances taking after an episode in the Belgian Grand Prix when they impacted, prompting Hamilton’s possible retirement.
Rosberg was criticized by the group after that episode and the two drivers were cautioned that they took a chance with their future at the group in the event that they harmed one another’s autos out on a track.
Be that as it may, group manager Toto Wolff communicated no issues with the occurrence.
“Lewis had a better start and stuck his nose in,” he said. “It was a tough corner for both of them.”
Hamilton additionally shielded his turn in a meeting, indicating footage that demonstrated he was ahead as the two drivers quickened out of Turn Two.
He said, “I knew that it was my right of way. Once I got my car slightly ahead I knew that it was my right of way. I was ahead, so that is my road. I don’t particularly think it was too close.”
Approached on the off chance that he ever feels frustrated about Rosberg about coming next best in wheel-to-wheel hustling, he said: “Rosberg was fair. He drives incredibly well and has done a great job this year. This is racing and that is what it is all about. There have been times when I have fallen behind. It happens.”
Wolff added: “It is always very difficult to race your team-mate. It was a tricky situation for both. Lewis said he had understeer and he ran out of track and two cars side by side in Turn Two is difficult anyway.”
