LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Lewis Hamilton says he needed a miracle in the final two Formula 1 races of the season to overtake Sergio Perez for second in the drivers’ championship.
With 52 points up for grabs between this weekend at Las Vegas Grand Prix in the United States, and next weekend at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the United Arab Emirates, the two drivers could engage in a scrap to decide the runner-up to Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands.
Only 32 points separate second-placed Perez, Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, and third-placed Hamilton, the 38-year-old British race car driver with Grenadian heritage, who ruled out any chance of him seriously challenging his Mexican rival.
“He’s too far away now, to be honest,” Hamilton said. “30 points in two races, he would have to have two disasters, and I would have to be second, basically. But for me, honestly, it really doesn’t make a different if we’re second or third.
“I think we’ve still had an amazing year, given the car that we’ve had. We never thought we would be fighting for second in the constructors’ championship, and knocking on the door of the most dominant car, probably, of our era.”
Coincidentally, there is also a fight for the runner-up spot in the constructors’ championship with Mercedes, Hamilton’s team, holding a 20-point advantage over Ferrari ahead of the final two races.
The last two years have been very challenging for Mercedes, and they have not won a Grand Prix for two years, but Hamilton said his sense of purpose kept him motivated during the period, and the chance to win an unprecedented eighth world title.
“Growing up, I won a lot,” he said. “I always had at least one win each year. I think the last two years have been a great experience to really be fighting with the team. We were winning for such a long time and when you win for so long, we all get complacent and take things for granted.
“I think this has been a great time for us to really pull back, have our feet on the ground and start back up and dig deep. And I think for me, it’s just always knowing that we can be better each day. I know I can be fitter. I know I can do more, I can be more efficient with my work, with my time.
Hamilton added: “I have days where I’m like, I don’t want to work out, this sucks. But you just gotta keep pushing. You gotta keep getting up. We’re not fighting for a world championship right this second. I think the pressure is, as you’re getting older, it gets harder to train. It’s harder to stay fit. It’s managing your time. It’s how you communicate with a team of people and keep them all focussed.
“And, you know, I guess the pressure right now is to catch up to Red Bull, the team we’re trying to beat. Coming back in February (next year) and getting in the car, I will know immediately whether it’s a car that we can fight with or not. That’s always a nervous experience for everybody.”
