Martin Brundle believes Lewis Hamilton will be classed alongside his boyhood hero Ayrton Senna in the pantheon of all-time Formula One greats should he claim his third world championship . Hamilton enters the new campaign , which gets underway in Australia on Sunday , as the favourite to defend the crown he clinched so dramatically at the season finale in Abu Dhabi last year . Speaking at Mercedes headquarters in Brackley last week , Hamilton spoke of his motivation to emulate Senna by winning a third world title . Lewis Hamilton could become an all-time Formula One great if he secures a third world championship . Hamilton wants to emulate boyhood hero Aryton Senna and Martin Brundle said he could with another title . Hamilton ( centre ) with F1 legend Stewart ( left ) and Prince Harry in 2011 when he was with McLaren . And Brundle believes the 30-year-old Briton must be considered in the same bracket as the great Brazilian , and Sir Jackie Stewart , also a thrice-world champion , should he defend his title in 2015 . 'If Lewis had finished his career with one championship it would have been a travesty , but if he wins a third he is up there with Sir Jackie Stewart and Ayrton Senna ' , said Brundle , a veteran of 156 grands prix . 'He becomes one of the all-time greats . ' Hamilton and team-mate Nico Rosberg are expected to renew their battle for the championship with Mercedes the class of the field in pre-season testing . The Silver Arrows , winners of 16 of the 19 races last year , boasted more mileage than any of their rivals over the winter , with the apparent pace to match . The Silver Arrows won 16 of the 19 races last year and boasted more mileage than of their rivals over winter . Hamilton and team-mate Nico Rosberg ( left ) will renew their battle for the championship in Melbourne . But Hamilton 's preparations for the new term have been hampered by his very public break-up from girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger , the popstar singer who was in Abu Dhabi to celebrate his title triumph last year . Brundle however , does n't expect Hamilton 's off-track issues to trouble him as it has appeared to do so in the past . ' I think he will be in a better place . I sense he is hungry and I think the Nicole thing happened a lot time before it became public , ' said Brundle . Hamilton 's preparations were hampered by his public split from Nicole Scherzinger , who was in Abu Dhabi to celebrate his second championship victory with Hamilton . Brundle does n't believe Hamilton 's off-track issues will be a problem - ' I think he will be in a better place ' 'There is no doubt about it , that he wears his heart on his sleeve and he very open about that , but his speed and his skill are so great he just drives through that . 'He has got to win consecutive championships which is always perceived to be particularly difficult , but he is going to have a dominant car again , so it is Nico Rosberg who he has got to race . 'Lewis was unlucky with reliability last year and if he just does the same thing again he will beat Nico . So , unless Nico has found a way to raise his game , what is going to put Lewis under pressure apart from himself ? ' Sky Sports F1 is the only place fans can watch all 20 Grand Prix weekends live across TV , Sky Go and NOW TV .
Lewis Hamilton said he wanted to emulate his boyhood hero Ayrton Senna . Martin Brundle said a third title would place him among F1 's all-time greats . Brundle said another win puts Hamilton with Senna and Sir Jackie Stewart . He does n't believe public split with Nicole Scherzinger will be a problem .