Bottle battle!
COULTHARD BACKS LEWIS TO HOLD HIS NERVE AGAINST VETTEL
LEWIS HAMILTON is an all-time Formula One great – but he faces one of the toughest battles of his career to clinch his fifth world title.
That’s the view of David Coulthard ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, when Hamilton’s 24-point lead in the drivers’ championship will be under attack from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
In each of the three championships Hamilton has won behind the wheel of a Mercedes, he has returned from his summer break and gone on to dominate until the title is clinched.
The notable exception came in 2016, when Nico Rosberg went on a blistering run that saw him overturn Hamilton’s championship lead before hanging on for the title, as his then Mercedes teammate made a late charge.
Coulthard, Belgian Grand Prix runner-up in 2001, said: “It is going to be more difficult for Lewis this season.
“Ferrari are very competitive and they’ve missed some opportunities their car could provide.
“But the ebb and flow will continue to bounce back and forward between the two drivers.”
That said, the title battle would be a lot closer had Vettel not been guilty of a series of costly mistakes in the first half of the campaign, the most notable c o m i n g when he crashed out of his home grand prix at Hockenheim.
And Coulthard knows the need to make the most of the speed of his Ferrari in the remaining nine races will have been weighing heavy on Vettel’s mind.
“It is not that Lewis has a dominant car,” said the two-time British Grand Prix winner.
“The Ferrari has shown itself a very capable car and in some cases more suited to a particular track than the Mercedes. “Seb will be aware he must get the momentum to swing back in his favour.
“He will have thought about that every day he has been on holiday. He will know the importance of delivering results. “And it comes down to chipping away at Lewis’ points advantage. The chances of Lewis finishing all the races are slim and Seb needs to capitalise.
“The pressure is now on him and the run-in to the championship is going to be fascinating.”
Mistakes aside, four world titles would suggest Vettel has the capacity to cope with going toe-totoe with Hamilton as what promises to be a dramatic championship fight plays out.
But while Vettel was sliding off the track in Germany, Hamilton was carving his way through the field from 14th on the grid to one of his greatest victories.
And Hamilton has warned Vettel there is more “juice to come” as they enter the season’s vital phase.
“We have had so many ups and downs over the first half of the season,” said Hamilton. “But what normally happens is you go from strength to strength through the year, and through the good and the bad.
“There are lots of positives to take into the second half and there is more juice to come.”
Watch live coverage of the Belgian Grand Prix on Channel 4 from 1pm tomorrow.