Hamilton still keen on another title, despite five-year drought

LEWIS Hamilton has admitted he’s faced up to the prospect of ending his Formula One career without winning another title.

Hamilton became world champion in only his second season in the sport, back in 2008, but he hasn’t finished better than fourth in the title race since.

And speaking ahead of this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton – who despite backing Mercedes to challenge for race wins next season – concedes he may never be crowned champion again.

“I have confidence we’ll be competitive next year but you never know,” said Hamilton.

“Maybe circumstances mean I never win the world championship again. It could happen in our sport, who knows?

“A while ago, that would have been a scary thought, but it isn’t so much any more.”

With three races of the season remaining, Hamilton is fourth in the drivers’ standings and a mammoth 153 points behind newly-crowned quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel.

The 27- year- old moved to praise Vettel’s ‘superb achievement’, after he secured his fourth consecutive title at the Indian Grand Prix, and suggested he could better Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91 grands prix wins and seven world titles.

“To have had so much success so young, he is well on his way to being seen as the greatest ever driver, in the sense that he could conceivably match Schumacher’s amazing records,” added Hamilton in his BBC column.

“Greatness is such an abstract concept. There are lots of elements that define greatness. I am still trying to discover them all and that’s really the aim. As a driver, I feel I’m doing pretty well, and when the car is able to win, I think I’ll win.”

Hamilton said he believed Mercedes could be successful even if Ross Brawn leaves at the end of the season.

“We have had a great working relationship, I don’t believe any decisions have really been made just yet, but either way we’ve got a strong set of people in the team,” said the Briton.

“I know Niki, ( Mercedes motorsport head) Toto (Wolff), Ross and everyone in the team will do the utmost to make sure that whatever decision he makes...that we go into next year with a fighting chance to win the championship.” – Daily Mail, Reuters

REUTERS WHERE TO NOW? Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain ahead of the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix practice at the Yas Marina circuit on Yas Island.