Red Bull's Christian Horner says Lewis Hamilton's gloomy stance on his championship prospects is nothing more than the Mercedes driver indulging in a bit of "kidology".
Red Bull's run of five consecutive wins and Max Verstappen's clean sweep in the last three races have put the pair well in command of their respective championships, an advantage that led Hamilton to declare that Red Bull was running away with the title.
But with the 2021 campaign yet to reach its half-way point, Horner won't put the cart before the horse and insists Hamilton is purposefully adopting a negative posture to put the spotlight on Red Bull and Verstappen.
"It’s so early in the season to talk about running away with anything," Horner told BBC Radio 4.
"Lewis loves a bit of kidology, trying to move the spotlight away from himself – which is part of the gamesmanship of any sport."
Verstappen's 32-point lead in the Drivers' standings ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix now equates to more than a win.
But Mercedes' impressive track record at Silverstone - where the Brackley squad has won six of the last seven rounds held at the Northamptonshire track - bodes well for the German outfit and for Hamilton in particular, a six-time victor of his home race.
Those important historical facts aren't lost on Horner.
"It is such a long season and with 29 points available this weekend, a 32-point lead can vanish very quickly," commented the Red Bull team boss.
"He is going to be fighting incredibly hard. Silverstone has been a stronghold for Lewis, it has been a stronghold for the team.
"[Seven wins] is an immense record. We are going to have to be at the top of our game to beat them but if we can beat them at Silverstone then there is nothing we should fear for the rest of the championship."
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