Lewis Hamilton determined to steer clear of distractions with World Championship now in sight
An emotionless Hamilton has dismissed speculation about how he might react during any post-race national anthems, or whether he can clinch the title this weekend
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Your support makes all the difference.As messages go, Lewis Hamilton’s thus far this weekend have been unequivocal.
Dismissing speculation about how he might react during any post-race national anthems, or whether he believes he can clinch a fourth world championship here in his happy hunting ground of the Circuit of the Americas where he has only lost once since 2012, he simply said: “I’m here to win and that’s the top of my priorities at the moment. I’m not really focused on anything else at the moment.”
And when somebody asked how he expected troubled rival Ferrari to react this weekend, and whether Sebastian Vettel could be a strong fighter at the end of the season as well, as if their recent misfortunes might in any way have sapped their competitive spirit, his response was equally peremptory.
“I think he’s been a strong fighter all year. He’s obviously had a few issues technically, but I think still the car is as good as it’s always been. For sure they’ll have some sort of upgrade coming into this weekend.
“They’ve definitely had a couple of hiccups, but I anticipate they’ll be very strong here and for the last four races – so that’s why nothing changes for me. I’ve still got to continue to keep the pressure on and there’s no reason to back out, just got to keep pushing forwards.”
Asked whether he could wrap the thing up here, he retorted, “Honestly I think talk of the championship being won this weekend is silly. I mean, Sebastian is going to be strong. You can’t expect them to have a difficult weekend again. They’re going to be quick, they have an opportunity to win. The championship, as long as it’s done in the next four races, that’s my focus. I honestly couldn’t care less if it’s here on the last race, as long as it’s done.”
This morning CoTA was worryingly overcast, evoking memories of the 2015 race when it poured, and the first practice session began in drizzle that necessitated Pirelli’s intermediate tyres. Hamilton duly set the pace, from the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.
Later, as the track dried sufficiently for drivers to use the supersoft-compound slick tyres, he was again at the top of the list, with Vettel leading the pursuit.
That’s pretty much the way things have worked out since the summer break, which saw the see-saw tip in favour of Hamilton and Mercedes after Vettel and Ferrari had gone into the break on top with victory in Hungary.
Hamilton believes that’s been down to the team’s confidence in understanding their car a lot better in the second half of the season as they knew its strengths and weaknesses. He has recently described his Mercedes as a “diva”, good one week, not so good the next.
“I would say that we are constantly evolving the process in which we work together, myself and my engineers. So we’d often hit the ground running with a balance I’m more comfortable with, which then naturally helps you easily step forward throughout the weekend in the right direction.
“And otherwise, just on my driving side, I don’t know, I think there are a lot of positive things happening in my life. There are a lot of interesting things forecast over these next 18 months, so I guess that’s an exciting and uplifting thing. I’m arriving at these races, generally, with an abundance of positivity; it helps keeps your mind in the right place.
“Obviously, Toto and the team, Mercedes, have been incredibly supportive of all the different things that I’m into and the things I do and the way I move, which enable me to be in that position, and which are much appreciated.”
It’s an interesting counterpoint to Ferrari, were a rule of fear is thought to pertain rather than one in which clever engineers are encouraged to push to their limits without worrying whether they overstep them.
Vettel has notably gone out of his way of late to lift the weight of responsibility off the shoulders of his team, when trouble has struck, and has even defended tough-talking boss Sergio Marchionne, who insiders believe to be a very hard taskmaster who takes no prisoners when failure outweighs success. And assuredly, Ferrari have had a very tough time in the last three races.
A victory here for Vettel would not only help to shore up what appear to his fading world title chances, but might prove to an increasingly sceptical world that such an uncharitable view of Ferrari is undeserved.
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