Chinese Grand Prix pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton says he is excited by the prospect of a wet race on Sunday, despite having limited experience running on Pirelli's new extreme wet tyres.
Hamilton only managed a handful of laps during Pirelli's single designated day of wet weather running in the first pre-season test at Barcelona before an "electrical fault" caused a premature end to his morning. The Briton also missed the opportunity to test the 2017 tyres on Mercedes' 2015 mule car last year at the Circuit de Catalunya, after skipping the test due to a foot injury.
On that occasion Mercedes junior Pascal Wherein stepped in to deputise in his place, racking up 31 laps on the wet and intermediate tyres as rain hit throughout the day. The weather disrupted the opening practice session in Shanghai on Friday, in which Hamilton only completed a single outlap on the extreme wets.
When asked if he is nervous about the high likelihood of Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix being affected by rain, Hamilton replied: "No I'm actually excited about it to be honest, because it's a new experience and I'm sure it's not a huge, huge difference to what we've had in the past, perhaps a little bit, but no, I'm kind of excited about it.
"It's great to have some excitement, to be faced with a new challenge where you have to be the most proactive and reactive tomorrow if it is wet. I just hope that even if it is raining, I hope the clouds stay high so the helicopter can take off so we can do the race. We've got an amazing turnout here, so we want to make sure we put on a good race."
Hamilton's pole position was his sixth in China and the 63rd of his Formula One career, bringing him ever closer to his boyhood idol Ayrton Senna's tally of 65, and Michael Schumacher's all-time record of 68. Hamilton says it feels "surreal" to be among the likes of Senna and Schumacher's records.
"It might be hard for you to believe, but every pole position has been so unique in its own way," he said. "There's always been a different journey to taking that pole, there have been different things that happened on that lap. It's still today and I'm sure it will never change, it's still surreal I have that amount of poles.
"The dream was to get to F1. And now it's perhaps more exciting to know I'm nearing Ayrton, jeez, he had a lot of pole positions but less races. What he did back then was just phenomenal, the same with Michael. I'm just grateful to be up there and amongst them. What I love now is that more than any other time, I feel like I'm really having to earn those pole positions, being so close. On top of that, I feel even better."