Hamilton: Senna helmet tribute the 'greatest honour'

Lewis Hamilton says receiving one of Ayrton Senna's race helmets after matching the Brazilian legend's record of 65 Formula 1 pole positions is the 'most special thing' he could imagine.

Hamilton was in sensational form as he captured his sixth Montreal pole – which was also his 65th career pole in F1, moving him level with Senna for a share of second place in the record books, behind only Michael Schumacher on 68. As part of the post-session interview, the Mercedes star was presented with one of Senna's famous yellow helmets, leaving him in a state of shock.

"I am shaking," Hamilton said. "Ayrton is the one who inspired me to be where I am. To match him and receive this is the greatest honour.

"For the Senna family to send me this… is the most special thing I have above and beyond all my trophies and everything.

"I am honoured to be honoured by that family and honestly I couldn't be happier."

Having idolised Senna as a child, Hamilton said it was bizarre to now be level with the three-time world champion.

"Literally as a kid I'd come home and say ‘one day if I'm really lucky and I can get to Formula 1 I'd want to emulate Ayrton'. The fact that I've now reached him in that area – I just can't believe it. Honestly I can't believe it.

"My final lap worked perfectly – I could see my delta picking up and getting excited, but at the time I had no comprehension about the 65th – I forgot that, it was the here and now.

"I just want to say a big thank you to my family for supporting me all these years and giving me the opportunity to be here today. I am standing here today, but the work they put in behind me… no one could imagine. But I know.

"I live in an apartment in Monaco, so I don't have a lot of space for a lot of trophies. But I've definitely got space for [the helmet] - maybe my table centre piece in my living room so it's the first thing you see when you come in!"