LEW WANTS BRIT BOOST
Home win can trigger revival
LEWIS HAMILTON believes success at the British Grand Prix can spark his season back into life.
The reigning world champion has been working overtime in a bid to make inroads on Max Verstappen, with the Red Bull driver 32 points ahead of his Mercedes rival.
Hamilton has been putting in the hours in the simulator to iron out mechanical issues and sees the inaugural F1 Sprint qualifying race at Silverstone tomorrow as another chance to grab muchneeded points.
Verstappen has won the past three races but more worrying has been the victory margin, with Red Bull getting a grip on the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.
Hamilton said: “In the first four races we had the car to fight and it was great. It’s not been too great in the last few.
“I’m hopeful and I’ve been really working with the team to put us back in a position similar to the one where we were at the beginning of the year, because that’s what sparked the season off as being as exciting as it was.
“And there’s always talk about the energy and buzz that the fans bring. Without doubt, when it’s your home GP and there’s the British crowd, you’ve got more heat behind you. I’m hoping it all comes together and closes that nice gap that has grown and really enables us to take it to them.”
Former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone suggested this week Hamilton is “not quite the fighter he was,” adding: “There were lots of occasions this year when Lewis could have done better”.
Those were references to costly mistakes at Imola and Baku.
Hamilton, whose commission published recommendations on how to increase the representation of black people in engineering this week, said of Ecclestone’s comments: “I don’t really have a response. I wasn’t aware of it until I arrived here.
“It’s been such an interesting week with the football and the amazing support and then with my commission, I’ve been focused on that. I’m not the driver I was when I started. I think I’m better.”
Additional points are available in the 17-lap F1 Sprint on Saturday.
Hamilton mentioned the new race unprompted, saying: “There’s another element for me – this sprint race – the format may be easy for any of us to get wrong. But there are also opportunities there.”