HAND OF GOD AT THE WHEEL

Lew’s power from above

LEWIS HAMILTON believes he has the hand of God resting over him every time he steps into his Formula One car.

Hamilton, who is Catholic, will set his sights on wrestling back the championship lead in the British Grand Prix after falling one point behind Sebastian Vettel in Austria last Sunday.

The 33-year-old Brit was given three days off by Mercedes as he prepares to get his title race back on track in front of 130,000 fervent fans at Silverstone.

But he also believes he has God’s protection every time he steps into his car, saying: “Anything can happen any day, but I feel God has his hand over me.

“Every morning I have breakfast and before I eat, I pray. So, whether it’s a couple of seconds, a minute or whatever you are praying for, take that moment. I go with a couple of my close friends to church. We meet, we go for breakfast and then we go to church together.

“We leave most often feeling enlightened and empowered. Sometimes you leave, and you are like ‘I didn’t get that today’, but most of the time you leave and you are like, ‘Wow, I know where I am going’.”

Hamilton is battling it out with Vettel to win a fifth world crown with only Juan Manuel Fangio (five) and Michael Schumacher (seven) having won more.

And he will become the most successful driver in the history of the British Grand Prix if he wins for a sixth time on Sunday. “Formula One has given me a life and a purpose, which is pretty special, but F1 has also broken me,” he said.

“When you go through it, you put so much into it, it breaks your heart and kills you when you fail. And when you stumble, everyone’s watching.”

ERIC BOULLIER has quit as racing director of McLaren.

McLaren have endured a poor start to 2018 and are struggling to qualify in the top 10.

Former Indycar champion Gil de Ferran has replaced Boullier and Andrea Stella has been appointed performance director.