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LONDON – Lewis Hamilton says winning an eighth Formula 1 world drivers’ title this year will be a “tall order”. The Mercedes driver is 32 points behind Max Verstappen of Red Bull before this weekend’s British Grand Prix after four wins in five races for the Dutchman.
Hamilton said: “It’s what I dream of and am working towards. I am massively driven. But it’s a tall order. Their performance has gone a little bit out of reach but we are working as hard as we can to close back up.”
Hamilton has not won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix in mid-May, since when Red Bull have won every event, with Sergio Perez adding a victory in the Azerbaijan event to Verstappen’s four.
“When a challenge comes up, I face it head on,” Hamilton said in an interview.
“I have never run away from a fight. When we entered this season and we saw the challenge we had on, it was like, ‘Game on, love this, this is what we live for.’ It has been exciting.” Hamilton said that the rule changes on bodywork and aerodynamics made for this season to slow the cars down had affected Mercedes more than most other teams.And he said that a rule change last season to prevent teams using high-power qualifying engine modes had also impacted Mercedes.
“These rules have impacted us massively,” he said. “We have had the engine scenario changed last year when we lost qualifying mode and then this new rule shift has hit us hardest.
“We are doing the best we can. The cost cap has come in, which has made it even harder for development.
“All I know is that, whatever the outcome, there has been an immense amount of growth and I am going to be here for longer than this year. It is not going to be the end of the world if we don’t but we are going to give everything to make sure that we do.”
Hamilton this week launched the report compiled by his own commission into trying to understand the reasons for the lack of diversity in motorsport in the UK. –BBC Sport
Online Reporter