F1 ace Hamilton beats rival Vettel’s test track record at Top Gear show

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has beaten three-time world champion Sebastian Vettel track time record of 1 minute 44 seconds by clocking 1 minute 42.9 seconds in the popular BBC show Top Gear. The 2008 world champion, who had topped the time sheets in a Suzuki Liana in the show’s ''reasonably priced'' car challenge, had a dry run on the track unlike his wet run during his previous appearance in the show six years ago, when he had set a test track time of 1 min 44.7 secs, the Daily Mail reports. 

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastia

  Hamilton, who claimed to be surprised at the win, said that he would have been disappointed in himself if he had not set a comparatively competitive result. Although the F1 ace played down his chances of challenging the leading teams from the beginning of the racing season in Australia in March, he said that his much criticised move to Mercedes from top dog McLaren was necessary because he wanted a change from the team. Stating that he had been in McLaren since he was 13 years old, Hamilton said that although the move was risky, it presented a challenge for him as he liked taking risks.