Lewis ‘The Joker’ Hamilton – All set for the last laugh

When Hamilton dressed up as The Joker, I knew the driver I was going to be rooting for in this year’s F1...

Anyone who knows me knows my love for ‘The Joker’. So whether you are Heath Ledger or Jared Leto or even Jack Nicholson for that matter, my admiration for your eccentric-self increased the moment you signed up to play the Clown Prince of Crime. Such is my fascination with the character that it transcends the confines of cineverse, so whether you are cosplaying for a comic-con or simply dressing up as Gotham’s favourite Jester for Halloween, I like you, period!

Lewis Hamilton walked in to Heidi Klum’s annual Halloween bash of dressed up as Heath Ledger’s version of The Joker.Photo: ESPN

So when F1’s World Champion Lewis Hamilton walked in to the annual Halloween bash of supermodel Heidi Klum, dressed up as Heath Ledger’s version of  The Joker, I instantly knew the identity of the driver I am rooting for, as far as this year’s F1 championship is concerned.

F1 world champion, Lewis Hamilton.Photo: Pinterest

Just 24 hours after racing to victory in Mexico, the British driver swapped his Mercedes overalls for a purple suit and a green wig to party into the early hours with tennis ace Serena Williams.

And party he should, considering the fact that in the short space of two weeks, Hamilton has managed to cut down a 33-point championship lead for fellow Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg to 19 points with convincing back-to-back wins in the US and Mexico.

Hamilton has managed to cut down a 33-point championship lead for fellow Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg to 19 points.Photo: AFP

The latter brought the 31-year-old his 51st career Grand Prix win, putting him level in second place on the all-time winners’ list with the great Alain Prost, with only the legendary Michael Schumacher ahead of them. But more importantly for the Brit, this weekend’s triumph has kept this year’s – once doomed – title chase alive.

You wouldn’t be wrong to say that Hamilton would be leading the championship now, had his engine not failed while he was dictating the Malaysian Grand Prix last month. The engine failures in qualifying in China and Russia early in the year also contributed to his current predicament.

Hamilton at the Malaysian Grand Prix.Photo: AFP

With two Grands Prix to go, a 19-point deficit will be tough to surmount but if anyone can do it, it’s him. Make no mistake; it’s going to be tough, since Nico Rosberg can still clinch the title by finishing second and third even if Hamilton wins both races.

But credit to the champion who is still defiantly defending his throne from the usurper,

“I’m trying to claw it back” Lewis Hamilton said.

“It is feeling pretty late this charge, but in the past it has shown it is never too late and that is why I have to keep on trying to do what I have done this weekend.”

Next up for Hamilton is the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, where he has never won in nine previous attempts, and also devastatingly suffered final-race heartache when he was denied the championship by Kimi Raikkonen in his debut season of 2007.

So history is on Rosberg’s side to wrap up his maiden world crown at the Brazilian GP. But as far as I am concerned, playing The Joker on Halloween has placed Lewis Hamilton perfectly to have the last laugh.

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