In fact I have learned something every day in this last year. I am so competitive that I always want to achieve more and more. It is a positive force for me. I want to win. You have to be realistic and remember this was my first season and that it was something special for me. I was bound to make some mistakes. I started out just hoping to learn a lot, to challenge Fernando and to prove I was worth my seat in the team. The level of expectation was a measure of how far I had gone in that space of time.

Lewis had that and he was bloody young. Would he be any different today? Probably not. And that was it, just bloody minded.” The 35-year-old superstar’s record-setting season, achieved with 11 wins, 10 poles and 14 podiums, made Hamilton statistically the most successful F1 driver ever. At the end of it, his 14-year, 266-race career had thus far produced 95 wins, 98 poles, 165 podiums, as well as putting him atop several other categories, with no signs of him of slowing down. I do remember just sitting there in disbelief. And realising I’ve got to undo my belts, I’ve got to get out of there, I’ve got to climb out of this thing, I’ve got to find the strength. I had no strength. And it was one of the toughest moments, I would say, that I’ve had in a long, long time.” I have a special source of extra motivation. For me, even when I am feeling pretty stretched, rushing around in the middle of a Formula One weekend and surrounded by people who want a bit of my time – and with what feels like a thousand things to do – I only have to think of one person to keep me feeling motivated and to put a smile on my face: my brother Nicolas. I remember Linda, my step-mum, being pregnant with Nic. I remember him being born and that I would just go and sit next to him and watch him. I had prayed to have a brother and was so happy when he came into the world. It really meant a lot to me, in my childhood, to have a brother. And it still does. After Mercedes’ protests over the contentious safety car decision and the race result were rejected, the team ultimately opted against taking the matter to appeal, with the FIA announcing it would conduct a ‘detailed analysis and clarification exercise’ intended to end the controversy and the ensuing arguments that were ‘tarnishing the image of the sport.’The combination of the greatest F1 team ever assembled with one of the fastest and best drivers of all time, both of whom share an unquenchable desire to push on to the next level, has led to unprecedented levels of success at Mercedes. And the more Hamilton has had, the more he has had his eyes opened to what he can do with it. Hamilton was apparently keen to ensure parity of machinery if he were to become Max Verstappen’s teammate, Marko has now confirmed that Hamilton’s camp made an approach with a clear stipulation: equality in terms of the racing hardware provided to both him and reigning champion Verstappen. During the 21-race season Ferrari and Red Bull each won three races but were undermined by uneven performances. Mercedes, superbly organised and cohesive with a strong team spirit united in a common cause, tallied 15 victories. Lewis Hamilton led the charge, outscoring his improving team mate Valtteri Bottas 11 victories to four and leading the league in terms of consistently delivering points. He was the only driver to score in every race, finishing on the podium in all but four events. The problem comes when the rear tyres drop off. That’s when they are so much better than the rest. They still keep the speed going in.” A brilliant win in Japan followed, in torrential rain that caused Alonso to crash, and Hamilton went to the penultimate race in China with a chance of clinching the title in his debut season.

And if you are a little bit lonely and are not getting much attention that is the perfect thing to do, just mention my name." Most importantly, meeting the combined salaries of F1’s two most expensive drivers is simply beyond Red Bull’s financial means. I often try to imagine myself in Nic’s position. I do not think I would be anywhere near as strong as him. There’s just so much to admire in him. So, whatever I am doing, I say to myself, ‘If you think it’s hard to do this, then think again.’ I think about Nic’s strength of character and that gives me added strength. So Nic is my inspiration – and that helps me a lot. But, in fact, my whole family are very close. We do everything we can together, and we always have done, but as I grow older and become more independent each year, I know that is probably going to change a bit – but not all that much. We have an intense bond and are a strong family. It helps us remain as normal as possible, to stay focused on the right things and not be distracted by all the stuff going on around us. We are a team, my family. We always have been. I like to think of my parents’ home as my power station, the place where I can go to seek support, rest and reassurance in the good things in life. His fame transcended his sport but the high-flying, tattooed hero with diamond ear studs never lost his driving ambition, his hunger to win. He worked hard at self-improvement, added a thinking dimension to his hard-charging instincts, made fewer mistakes and became an unstoppable force in 2015. He had the ability to stay out of trouble. He was always there at the end with his relentlessness and never-say-die attitude," he adds.The decisions taken by the FIA race director, Michael Masi, who has since resigned, which resulted in a late safety car being deployed and the advantage handed to his fiercest rival, left Hamilton stunned and he did not talk about the incident for weeks. “I, for sure, considered whether I wanted to continue.” Hamilton was asked whether he would like to compete against Red Bull's three-time world champion Max Verstappen in the same team. Alonso later withdrew the threat, but it was too late. His relationship with McLaren was now irrevocably broken. A contract that had been meant to run for three years would be terminated by mutual consent at the end of the year. Once out of the car, he added: "Seven is just unimaginable but when you work with such a great group of people and you really trust each other, there is just no end to what you can do together. You shouldn’t be frightened to speak your mind. And what you see with Lewis is a young man, a son, who has a heart, who has feelings, who cares for other people.

On assuming the role of team leader in 2008 (when Alonso returned to Renault) the boy wonder became even more of a marked man. En route to carving out five victories and scything his way to the podium on six other occasions, he incurred the wrath of several overtaken rivals who accused him of arrogance and dangerous driving. Hamilton insisted his hard-earned self-belief was wrongly interpreted and that his driving was firm but fair. But it wasn't without flaw and a combination of miscues and mishaps meant the championship was far from a foregone conclusion prior to the final Grand Prix, in Brazil. There, if Hamilton failed to finish at least fifth, Ferrari's Felipe Massa could take the title by winning his home race.Rosberg sensed an opportunity. The maths of the championship were clear - if he could win in Japan, he would have enough of a lead to finish second behind Hamilton at all the remaining races and still win the title. Which, given the size of Mercedes’ advantage over the field, should be relatively easy, reliability permitting. He immediately stood out. Not only because he was good - and he was - but because he did not look like any of the other kids he was racing.