Hamilton’s F1 track vision features real-life corners taken from the world’s premier racing tracks. Keith Collantine takes a look at Lewis’s ultimate lap.

Here’s a corner-by-corner guide to Lewis Hamilton’s super circuit:

1. ‘Turn 8’ from Istanbul Speed Park, home of the Turkish Grand Prix
Speed: 161mph
Gear: 5
G-force: 5

The ultra-fast ‘turn 8’ was immediately hailed one of the best corners in F1 racing when the Istanbul circuit was first used in 2005.

Ironically, the bend has given Hamilton some problems on his two visits to the track in F1. Last year he picked up a puncture as a result of the huge loads put through the front right tyre on this corner, and had more tyre trouble this year.

But Istanbul was also the scene of one of his most celebrated drives: his comeback drive to second in a GP2 race in 2006.

Hamilton says: “You have to attack this corner. A bump at the first apex destabilises the car and you have to be very careful with how you position it, otherwise you can have a big oversteer moment.”

2. ‘Estoril’ from Circuit de Nevers, Magny-Cours, home of the French Grand Prix
Speed: 124mph
Gear: 5
G-force: 3.5

The ‘Estoril’ corner is named after an F1 circuit in Portugal. The corner is similar to Istanbul’s ‘turn 8’, but slower and in the opposite direction.

Hamilton says: “Due to the high speeds the car generates a lot of downforce through this corner and it feels planted to the track. It’s great fun, but it’s vital to make a good exit because a long straight follows.”

Sadly the Magny-Cours circuit may be missing from F1 next year as the promoters can’t afford to put the race on. F1 will not visit France, the country that started Grand Prix racing, for the first time since 1955.

3. ‘130R’ from Suzuka, home of the Japanese Grand Prix
Speed: 180mph
Gear: 6
G-force: 4

Hamilton has never raced his F1 car at Suzuka but will finally get a chance to visit Japan’s best race track as its Grand Prix moves from Fuji to Suzuka next year.

The famous 130R corner was modified a couple of years ago after Britain’s Allan McNish demolished his car and a barrier in a massive crash during qualifying.

But it’s still a screamer of a bend taken at almost 300kph with precious little room for error.

4. ‘Eau Rouge’ from Spa-Francorchamps, home of the Belgian Grand Prix
Speed: 180mph
Gear: 7
G-force: 3.5

The Ardennes circuit is as beautiful as it is challenging and Eau Rouge is just one among many of its celebrated corners.

Hamilton says: “This is one of the best corners on the F1 calendar. It’s not difficult, but you’re just excited all the way through it. As you climb up the side of the hill, there’s a moment when all you can see from the cockpit is the sky. It’s fantastic because you lose your stomach over the crest at the top.”

5. ‘Tabac’ from Circuit de Monte-Carlo, home of the Monaco Grand Prix
Speed: 106mph
Gear: 4
G-force: 2.5

Monte-Carlo is one of F1’s most famous circuits. The Formula 1 cars thread their way between towering barriers while the jet-set sip champagne on nearby yachts.

‘Tabac’, a left-hander, is one of the quickest turns on the track. Hamilton says: “At the Monaco Grand Prix we have maximum downforce so the car feels planted to the ground. But with the barriers so close there is no room for error; you have to be very precise.”

Hamilton’s record at Monaco is exceptional: he won twice there in Formula Three in 2005, won again in GP2 in 2006, was second in his first F1 race at Monaco and won this year is heavy rain.

6. ‘Turn 1’ from Suzuka, home of the Japanese Grand Prix
Speed: 158mph
Gear: 5
G-force: 2.5

Hamilton certainly prefers fast corners. Suzuka’s first corner is tricky enough as it’s tackled with a very high entry speed, but what makes it even harder is that the drivers are busy slowing their cars for the next corner right in the heart of turn 1.

It might have a boring name, but ‘turn 1’ decided the F1 championship for two years in a row in 1990-1991 – both times in favour of Hamilton’s hero Ayrton Senna.

7. ‘Pouhon’ from Spa-Francorchamps, home of the Belgian Grand Prix
Speed: 161mph
Gear: 6
G-force: 4.5

F1 cars rocket into Pouhon without touching the brakes – drivers lift the throttle slightly and drop from seventh to sixth gear. Hamilton says: “You have to carry as much speed through the corner as possible and that means having the guts to get back on the power as soon as possible. You have to be careful because you can’t touch the kerbs.”

8. ‘Casino Square’ from Circuit de Monte-Carlo, home of the Monaco Grand Prix
Speed: 80mph
Gear: 3
G-force: 2.5

This is the slowest corner on Hamilton’s ‘fantasy circuit’. In real life there’s no run-off area here, just imposing metal barriers on either side.

It’s easy to clip one of the barriers here, as Hamilton did further around the lap during this year races. Despite picking up a puncture, he still won the race.

9. ‘Mergulho’ from Interlagos, home of the Brazilian Grand Prix
Speed: 108mph
Gear: 4
G-force: 3

Mergulho is the penultimate corner on the Brazilian Grand Prix circuit. It was here, on the final lap of this year’s race, that Hamilton caught sight of Timo Glock’s fifth-placed Toyota which he passed to claim the world championship.

But it’s also a very challenging corner. Hamilton explains: “This is a very bumpy left-hander. It slopes downhill and you can carry more speed than you initially think is possible because a compression in the middle of the corner helps to turn the car. You’re really on the limit and you need amazing car control to keep a hold of it.”

10. ‘Copse’ from Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix
Speed: 180mph
Gear: 7
G-force: 4.5

Next year may be the last time Hamilton tackles Silverstone in an F1 car before the British Grand Prix moves to Donington Park. He won the British Grand Prix this year.

Hamilton says: “You can’t touch the brakes. You have to turn in with a small lift and just hope you get round. If the conditions are right you can take Copse without a lift, but that’s pretty scary.”