Hamilton lays out his strategy

ABU DHABI. – Lewis Hamilton made it clear yesterday he has no intention of trying to ”back up” his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg if he is leading this weekend’s title showdown Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.The defending three-time world champion, who is seeking a fourth consecutive Grand Prix victory to keep alive his slim hope of overhauling Rosberg’s 12-points lead, said instead that he will try to win the race by as big a margin as possible. “Nico has been on pole here for the last two years,” Hamilton told a pre-race news conference at the Yas Marina circuit on Thursday.

“Here, he has been very quick. This has been a relatively strong circuit for me, but I’ve not been delivering the last two years, so my sole goal is to do so.

“In terms of tactics in the race, that has to come on Sunday, but that (backing up) has never been in my thought process. If I am ahead, I want to be as far ahead as possible. “When you have an 18-30 seconds’ lead, that is as painful a blow as you can give to the guy you are fighting. – AFP.