LEWIS HAS A CARE IN THE WORLD
Hamilton is adamant he is fired up for title tilt
LEWIS HAMILTON insists he has never cared more about a fourth Formula One world championship – despite cutting a forlorn figure during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend. The British driver had to settle for fourth place at the Red Bull Ring having started down in eighth due to a gearbox penalty. Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas closed to within 15 points of him after taking his second win of the season. Hamilton arrived in Austria still smarting from the collision with main title rival Sebastian Vettel in Azerbaijan – for which the German escaped any post-race reprimand – and ended the weekend 20 points behind the Ferrari driver. The 32-year-old Englishman heads to his home grand prix at Silverstone this weekend on the back foot and his demeanour in his post-race TV interviews in Austria suggested he was feeling the pressure. He was in a lighter mood when addressing the written media later on Sunday evening as he explained why he was left feeling low after a frustrating weekend in the Styrian mountains. Hamilton said: “You need to have patience with us as drivers. “I can’t speak for everyone else but you can’t be happy every day you have a result, no matter whether it’s second, fifth or 10th.
“Wherever it is, you’re going to be p **** d at one point because you put so much into it.
“So when you don’t personally deliver and other things are stacked up against you it’s hard to come out smiling because that means you don’t care enough.
“The fact is I care more than I need to. So there are days when it feels more painful than others, there are days when it’s easier to handle and I’ll move forward.”
Hamilton’s victory in Canada is his only podium in the last four grands prix as his title tilt falters at the midway point.
But he remained adamant that he is enjoying the tussle with Vettel and Bottas, even if things are not going his way.
He said: “I’ve had other years that have been difficult as well and it is generally when there are adversities that there is a chance to grow.
“I’m generally happy with the way I’ve been driving. This is an intense battle which I’m loving.
“Right now I’m 20 points behind. I don’t have a crystal ball but it doesn’t look great at the moment and how am I going to turn that around? There is still a long way to go. I am more than ready to bridge the gap.”