Lewis Hamilton says he cannot be focussed on Formula One points leader Nico Rosberg potentially having a reliability issue that would help the Briton’s title chances.
Despite winning last weekend’s United States Grand Prix, Hamilton remains 26 points behind his Mercedes team-mate, who claimed P2 in Austin.
Rosberg can afford to finish second to his rival in the three races left this year. Given Mercedes’ dominance, the target seems within reach, unless technical problems come into play.
“So far it has been 100 per cent reliable on his side,” said Hamilton, who has suffered a number of engine reliability setbacks this year, including a race-ending failure while leading in Malaysia. “But often in seasons there can be 100 per cent reliability on a car.
“Will that be the case on Nico's? Only time will tell. I can't get fixated on that. I have got to focus on mine, and I am hoping for these last three I will have 100 per cent reliability - that would be a real breath of fresh air. “I will try and utilise that opportunity with driving like I did [in the US].”
Flipping the script in the final stages of a championship is not that rare, as Hamilton learned first-hand in 2007 when Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen erased a substantial gap over the last two races to upstage the star rookie.
“I don't try to compare it to other times,” Hamilton offered in response when reminded of that year's points swing.
“History has shown lots of ups and downs and changes, and if you look at history there have been times where it is dead certain already, and there have been times where it has flipped.
“So that is exactly why I have got to keep my head down and keep trying to do the job I did last weekend, which I seriously believe I can do.
“I can't control what has happened to this point. It has already been set. All we can do is when I leave this season I know that I did everything with a full heart.”
2016 USGP - Quotes of the week
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