“You can relax, and be beaten”

Stewart says complacency may cost

Lewis Hamilton is in danger of losing out on a fourth world title due to complacency, according to British F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart.

Stewart – alongside Hamilton the only other Briton to win three world crowns – said last week that Hamilton risks being left behind in the title race by rival Nico Rosberg, who snatched the points lead with his third successive win last time out in Singapore.

Rosberg has claimed a perfect 75 points from the last three races, and now leads Hamilton by eight points with six races remaining.

Stewart said Hamilton, who has won the last two world championships, must refocus. “Maybe you can bottom out,” he said. “That can happen through consistent success because when you have consistent success everything can seem easy.

“Suddenly things go less well – you overdrive, you are not on the ball, or you live a life that distracts you in one way or another.

“If you are at the top in any line of work, you can get carried away with success. You think you can get away with things. Then someone else comes along and drives better or more consistently.

“I was always frightened of being beaten. I always thought there could be someone out there better than me or who might have a better car. So I always worked on that basis. I could never sit back and relax.” Red Bull Racing ace Daniel Ricciardo also backed Rosberg for the title this year after shadowing him to the flag at Marina Bay. Ricciardo said: “Before the summer break when Lewis made up that deficit to Nico, I though no one was going to touch Lewis, but Nico has come back at him. I’m going to throw a spanner in the works and say Rosberg [will win the title].” Hamilton remains calm about his title prospects, saying: “Nico just did an exceptional job [in Singapore] and we didn’t. What’s it going to take [to get the points lead back]? Just some good weekends, which we’ve had in the past.”