The 41-year-old is the most decorated driver in F1 history but he will head into Sunday’s curtain-raiser in Australia with a point to prove.

Missile strikes continue to rock the region after United States and Israeli forces attacked Iran with several countries closing their airspace.

Norris is celebrating becoming just the 11th driver from Britain to win an F1 title.

The Dutchman took the chequered flag 19.2 seconds clear of runner-up Lando Norris.

Norris trails McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri by 34 points in the drivers’ title race.

Norris led the way in the concluding running prior to qualifying.

The Briton made an astonishing admission after qualifying 12th for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion had been due to start 16th after he was eliminated in Q1.

Norris heads into the sixth round of the new season 10 points behind McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Hamilton will complete a demonstration run in the car that carried Senna to the second of his three titles in 1990 in Interlagos on Saturday.

Charles Leclerc led home a Ferrari one-two.

The McLaren driver heads into this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in Austin 52 points adrift of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

The 31-year-old Dane has had seven seasons with Haas across two spells.

The 24-year-old has emerged as Verstappen’s closest rival.

Norris was trailing Verstappen heading into the final runs at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya before he delivered the goods to take top spot.

Senna had eight consecutive poles over the 1988 and 1989 seasons.

Verstappen suffered a brake failure after just four laps of Sunday’s 58-lap race.

Hamilton was speaking at the federation’s prize-giving gala in Baku.

The Mercedes driver and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc were punished for identical breaches.