‘Our job’s not done yet’

DEFENDING CHAMPION KNOWS THERE CAN BE TWISTS AND TURNS

Lewis Hamilton stands on the verge of history this week as he needs to outscore Sebastian Vettel by eight points at the United States Grand Prix to become only the third five-time Formula One world champion.

If he does, the 33-year-old Briton will join Juan Manuel Fangio, champion in 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957 and Michael Schumacher, the title-winner in 1994 and 1995 who delivered five more for Ferrari from 2000 to 2004, in an exclusive hall of sporting fame.

Having won five of the previous six American races held at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, in Texas, Hamilton is a hot favourite to win again and wrap up the title fight, but he is distancing himself from that narrative.

Instead, despite luxuriating in a 67-point lead after a streak of six wins in seven outings, including the last four in succession, he has done his best to warn against any sign of complacency.

“That part is easy for me because I’m very, very strict on not being complacent with our position and still there are 100 points available,” he said.

“I know we still have to continue doing the job we’re doing now right until the last flag. That’s the goal.”

Hamilton can afford to be conservative in his racing and still take the title if Vettel and Ferrari are unable to beat him or win the race.

But if he wins, the German must finish second to keep his hopes alive, albeit only mathematically. Third behind a victorious Hamilton would not be enough.

Aware that it was Kimi Raikkonen, in a Ferrari, who took the 2007 title when Hamilton lost momentum in the final races, and that the only other winner in Austin has been Vettel, with Red Bull in 2013, Hamilton himself knows he cannot relax.

“Anything can happen,” he said, ignoring the siren call of his easy enjoyment of America, where he feels so much at home as he showed while fulfilling media duties in New York.

That focus and tenacity are among the qualities that Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff spoke of when he described him a “class act” and a driver who is “more complete than ever before”.

Wolff also pointed out that Hamilton’s level of performance was challenging the entire team to perform at higher levels.

He added that this title scrap is “far from over” and that past results in Austin will “have no impact” this weekend.

“Everyone knows we cannot take anything for granted, so we will be as diligent as ever,” said Wolff, adding that Ferrari will push until the final corner. – AFP