Lewis Hamilton clinched a seventh World Championship and became the most successful racing driver ever with a masterful victory in the Turkish Grand Prix with the Mercedes driver equalling Michael Schumacher's achievement in terms of titles, after already surpassing the German's number of race wins last month.

 

Victory at a treacherously wet and slippery Istanbul Park track in a topsy-turvy race was the 94th of the 35-year-old Briton's career - who was overcome with emotion in the car after the race, saying: "To all the kids out there, dream the impossible."

 

He later 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. I feel like I'm only just getting started, it's really weird."

 

He also added that he would "love to stay" in F1 and to continue to campaign for change when it comes to human rights, diversity and environmentalism.

 

Lewis won his first world title with McLaren in 2008 with further successes in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019. It was a drive befitting the monumental nature of his achievement.

 

"It felt so far-fetched”, the record-breaking champion said. “I remember watching Michael win those world championships. To get one or two or even three is so hard. Seven is unimaginable.

 

“There is no end to what we can do together, me and this team. We dreamed of this when I was young. It is so important for kids to see this and don't listen to anyone who says you can't achieve something. Dream the impossible. You have got to chase it and never give up."

 

Hamilton has clinched the title with three races still to go, two in Bahrain starting in two weeks' time and then a finale in Abu Dhabi in mid-December.