F1 world champion Hamilton wants to 'emulate' Senna in 2015

Hamilton has admitted several times before that winning his second world title this year has meant more to him than capturing his first back in 2008.

But, as thoughts begin to shift to 2015, the Briton told AUTOSPORT the idea of matching Senna's three titles is really spurring him on.

"I have always wanted to emulate Ayrton, so now I have the second I am going to be working really hard to get that third one," Hamilton said, after collecting the British Competition Driver and International Racing Driver of the Year trophies at the AUTOSPORT Awards.

"Not many people get to win championships, but if I get a chance to do that I will make sure I am ready.

"This second championship is the most special and the most important one for me. The first one was good but, while it was special, it got to a point where one championship is good but more is better!

"So, getting this second one, especially after everything I have been through, it feels so much better than the first and I am enjoying it so much more."

Hamilton also says that the way he coped with the frustrations of this year, and especially reliability dramas, made his success even sweeter.

"The car setting on fire, the spins - all sorts!" he said. "It wasn't an easy year at all - but what I feel mostly happy about was that I did everything the right way.

"So, that is why it was perhaps even tougher going in to the last race because I knew the difference in the cars, I knew the difference in the results and things that had happened through the year.

"I felt like I had been pushing so hard, I had to make sure I got it."

MORE TO COME FROM MERCEDES

Hamilton also warned Mercedes' rivals that his team is fully on the attack for next year, despite the advantage it had in 2014.

Mercedes was dominant this season, winning 16 races and securing both the constructors' and drivers' championship.

But despite the advantage it had, and the fact that it has delivered its main target, Hamilton said that there is no suggestion of his outfit getting complacent about what will happen in 2015.

In fact, he says that there is a strong push to do even better.

"The one thing is that this team is the best," he added.

"We plan to be the best next year.

"There is a lot of work going on, and I have faith in them. We are going to be coming at it hard.

"It is not a case of we are world champions, let's just go in to next year as world champion.

"It resets after this - we want to go back and we want to go in even stronger next year. We have to come from humble beginnings."