Hamilton: a madman to match the five F1's of Fangio's godfather

Lewis Hamilton described Juan Manuel Fangio as the "godfather" of Formula 1 on Thursday and said it was crazy to think that he could soon join the Argentine as a five-time world champion.

Fangio was, until Michael Schumacher won seven titles, the man who owns the most and the champion of the 1950s remains revered as the best driver of all time and certainly of his murderous era.

Hamilton can equal Sunday's race in South America with three races to go, with the 33-year-old Mercedes driver needing just eight points more than Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel in the US Grand Prix.

"He is the godfather for us, one of the greatest from the beginning and will always be admired in the sport," the Briton told the press.

"It's crazy to think that I'm engaging in the same number of championships as him."

However, Hamilton had no desire for the Fangio era – a period of frequent funerals for drivers and an era totally foreign to his past as grandson of West Indian immigrants of the 1950s in England.

Hamilton broke the barriers as the first and only champion of the mixed race, from a disadvantaged background with no wealth or family history in auto racing.

At a time when Fangio dominated the circuit, Hamilton's paternal grandfather, Davidson, was working for London's underground transportation system while he had just arrived from Granada.

The kind of social leap accomplished by Hamilton, who became a global superstar with the chance to do so, would have been inconceivable when the European-dominated Formula 1 World Championship began in 1950.

"I do not know if the '50s were a good time, nor was it a good time for blacks, so I probably would not have run at the time," said Hamilton.

"I am grateful to be at that time and with the technology we have and see cars move forward."

Hamilton drove cars from the time of Fangio, including joining the great rival Stirling Moss Argentina a few years ago to take a ride in an old Mercedes in Monza, which also opened the eyes.

"It's still really strange to hear the mental philosophy of the pilots at the time," he said.

"Sir Stirling would say that you would want to fall if the car were to break down: you hope to get thrown by the car.This is a much more confined space for us (now) – it's a matter of staying stuck and be safe. "

Hamilton has now won 71 races, against 24 for Fangio and only 91 for Schumacher, but one season in Argentina's day counted only six or seven races compared to 21 today.

(Edited by Greg Stutchbury)