Briton wants Monaco win - whatever the weather.

The colours of his increasingly famous crash helmet already give the game away, but Lewis Hamilton makes no secret of his admiration for the late Ayrton Senna, and still dreams of following in the legendary Brazilian's footsteps.

Above all, the Briton wants to follow those feet up the steps of Monaco's royal palace and collect the grand prix winner's trophy from Prince Albert. He came close on his debut in 2007, reckoning that he had been forced to settle for second by a cautious McLaren team, but hopes to go one better this year.

Fastest of all on Thursday's opening practice day, Hamilton has an enviable record in the Principality, winning in both the F3 Euroseries and GP2, but naturally holds Formula One success on the narrow streets as a goal above all others - especially as his hero proved such a master in Monaco, taking five of his six wins there with Hamilton's current employer McLaren.

"Ayrton won here time and time again, and it would be great to emulate that, to at least to get a win here," Hamilton told journalists on the 'rest' day in the Principality, "To take my sixth win here would be very, very emotional. Ayrton was winning here when I started to dream about doing this race as a boy - this track brings out the true driver, and the best drivers rise to the top."

While Michael Schumacher is widely remembered as Formula One's 'rainmaster', Senna proved in Monaco, amongst other races, that he too could turn it on in the worst conditions. The Brazilian's first win should have come on his debut in the Principality with Toleman in 1984, only for the race to be cut short on safety grounds as he was homing in on future team-mate and nemesis Alain Prost. The Brazilian duly opened his account in similarly torrential rain at Estoril a year later.

Even the prospect of wet weather this weekend, which might faze some of those preparing to do battle in Monaco, holds no fear for Hamilton, who proved himself worthy of consideration after his consummate triumph in the downpour at Fuji last season.

"Winning the wet races, as Ayrton did, is all part of the challenge," the Briton shrugged, "He proved he was the best by destroying everyone, and that's what I did in Japan. Doing it here is even harder though...."