HAMILTON DIDN’T EXPECT FERRARI TO ‘TAIL OFF’
Merc driver disappointed to not have more close fights with vettel
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he never expected Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari to “tail off” in the 2018 Formula 1 world championship battle in the way they have.
Hamilton claimed his fourth victory in a row at the Japanese Grand Prix to put him on the brink of the 2018 crown after Vettel spun early on trying to pass Max Verstappen and finished sixth.
Vettel led the title race by eight points back in July but Hamilton has won six of the seven races since then and turned that deficit into a 67-point lead. Asked if he was surprised how Vettel has faded from the picture, Hamilton said: “Up until the mid-part of the season they were very strong. Then they got to Monza and after that they were still quite strong at Monza and Singapore, then Singapore was really when things started to tail off. “I definitely hadn’t anticipated that they would tail off as they have. The performances have not been coming as strong as they were before. “I don’t really have an answer for that, it’s not something I’ve really focused on. We’ve just been focusing on trying to do the best job we can and maximise the potential of our own ability.”
Ferrari appeared to have the edge on Mercedes for pace until Singapore, where Mercedes has traditionally been weak but Hamilton won from pole.
The Italian team has lost several points this season, with high-profile incidents including Vettel crashing from the lead at Hockenheim and spinning after hitting Hamilton at Monza.
Hamilton made Vettel pay for that Italian GP mistake by going on to win, beginning his current four-race victory streak – which he said Mercedes should be proud of given the way it has overturned Ferrari’s advantage.
Hamilton also says he wishes he had enjoyed more close fights with Vettel during the season.
“I love that we have those races and those battles,” he said. “I wish to have more of them. being able to go up head-to-head with the guy you’re competing with, [see] who brakes earliest, who falters, is the ultimate challenge of your mental stability under that pressure.
“I always welcome them and I’m glad, I’m grateful we have had some of those moments, like in the last race [in Russia].”
Vettel admitted that Ferrari had made it “too easy” for Hamilton and Mercedes over the last few races.
“Obviously there is still a chance [to win the title], the last couple of races we made it a bit too easy for them,” he said.
“But also credit to them, they executed well. We need to look after ourselves and do our bit for the next couple of races, and then we see.”