Formula 1

Possibility of losing championship 'hard to swallow,' admits Hamilton

Published Nov. 15, 2016 1:56 p.m. ET

Adam Cooper

Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton accepts that he is in and “unusual” situation as he can win the remaining races and yet still not be World Champion.

In Austin and Mexico, Hamilton did all he could by logging two wins, but teammate Nico Rosberg has continued to score and protect his lead.

“It is great to be performing as I know I can perform, and not having car problems and being able to show that pace out there,” said Hamilton. “It is a great feeling to be able to do that, I feel like I generally do most of the season – but fighting for something that I don’t know if I will be able to make it, it is definitely an unusual scenario I am in. I will push all the way until the end, and one way it can be painful and one way it can be a great thing.”

Asked if he was prepared for defeat, he said: “I don’t know how you can prepare for losing. I don’t think you can prepare to lose. I have experienced it before. I lost in 2007 and I know it won’t be as painful as then, and I have lost many races and championships in my career so it is not like I haven’t experienced it.

“I am in a scenario now where there is more of a chance I will lose it than chance I will win it. It is hard to swallow but it is what it is. Life will move on, I will move on – I still have three. I really hope next year I don’t have reliability problems.”

Hamilton is now looking ahead to Brazil.

“I am not focused on the championship now, I am focused on trying to win these races, performing at my best and I know when I perform at my best things like this happen to day, that is what I have got to do, I have never won in Brazil so I go in with the same mentality as I had this weekend.”

Regarding the curious lack of a win at Interlagos, he added: “At McLaren, I had probably one year where I could have won it, and I got taken out by Hulkenberg. Then last year Nico was exceptionally quick, I was close, qualified second by 0.07, lost out on a gearshift up the hill, so maybe third time lucky.”

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