Gerhard Berger, who was teammate, and close friend, to Ayrton Senna, says that Lewis Hamilton is now on a par with the legendary Brazilian.

The Austrian, who contested 210 Grands Prix, with ATS, Arrows, Ferrari, McLaren and Benetton, winning 10 Grands Prix and finishing third in the driver standings twice, subsequently bought a 50% stake in Toro Rosso before selling out to countryman Dietrich Mateschitz.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the 25th anniversary of Senna's death at Imola in 1994, Berger explained why he ranks Hamilton alongside the Brazilian.

"Everybody asks me; 'how do you see this driver against Ayrton?', and I always, in all the years, say 'I don't see anybody near to Ayrton'," he said

"But Lewis is the first driver I put on the same level as Ayrton," he continued, the Austrian having spent three seasons as teammate to the Brazilian.

"I go more by feeling and watching, and for me, and there were great champions like Nelson, like Niki, like Prost, like Michael, there has always been one above, Ayrton," he admitted. "And now Lewis I see in the same league.

"The comparison? I see still Ayrton winning the game," he continued, "because in the end Ayrton was such a charming guy and a personality. And obviously if someone loses his life and stays with us in the way of a legend, it's always something special.

"But I try to see it from a performance point and from a performance point, Lewis is going from one pole position to the next one and Lewis is going from one race win to the next one. Just like Ayrton did.

"It looks like he's just running the game in such a good way that he's unbeatable at the moment. Yes, he's in the best car and best engine, but he also is the best. By far the best man at the moment."

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1. Posted by Oldbuzzard, 23/04/2019 15:48

"Couldn’t agree more. Ayrton was my friend, but on a professional level I have always rated him the best, even above Michael by a small degree. Hamilton has now reached Senna’s level and maybe even slightly beyond it. Considering Senna’s near obsession with total concentration on driving to win at the expense of any social interference, Hamilton has a full and busy life outside his racing occupation. He can spend a whole week traveling around the world to business meetings and fun vacation days, then fly directly to a race and qualify on pole and win the race with ease. Best equipment and team, yes, but the driver still has to drive the car and bring it home with a win. Berger knows."

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Hamilton on a par with Senna, says Berger

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