HAMILTON’S TEAM SPLIT IS TROUBLE
LEWIS HAMILTON hinted that Mercedes’ decision to move his mechanics to Nico Rosberg’s car has affected his mentality.
Hamilton’s world championshipwinning team was broken up at the end of last season with five crew — including his chief mechanic — switching from his side of the garage to Rosberg’s.
Mercedes made the move in a bid to prevent a split within the team.
In an up and down season, Hamilton fell 43 points behind Rosberg after he was hit by mechanical problems in the early races of the season, before a run of six wins from seven races gave him a 19-point lead going into the summer break. But a hattrick of wins from the German has opened up an eightpoint lead heading into Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix.
‘The biggest effect it can have on the driver is psychologically, but that is not something I want to go into,’ said Hamilton when quizzed on the change of mechanics at Mercedes this year.
Asked to elaborate, he added: ‘It is just all-round psychologically. If something changes when it doesn’t really need to be changed, it can have all sorts of effects.’
Ahead of what could be a pivotal race in his pursuit of a fourth title, Hamilton, 31, insists he does not feel under any greater pressure now than at any other stage of his 10-year career. ‘I wouldn’t say it is any different to positions I have been in the past,’ added Hamilton. Jenson Button is another driver who could be forgiven for reflecting upon past glories this weekend, when he races in his 300th Grand Prix. It is a landmark reached by just Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher — a feat Button described as ‘unbelievable’. ‘It means I’ve been around for a hell of a long time,’ said the 2009 champion. ‘When Rubens got to 300 it was unbelievable. I thought I’d never race that long. ‘When I started in 2000 I said to my dad I’d be done by the time I’m 30 — and here I am at 36.’