Despite a minor media frenzy mid-week about his health and a small road traffic accident, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton seemed in fine fettle as he chatted to the press in Sao Paulo on Thursday. His key aim this weekend? Winning in Brazil for the first time in his F1 career…
Q: Lewis, we hear that you had a minor road incident back home in Monaco. How do you feel? Are you one hundred percent?
Lewis Hamilton: Everything is fine. I feel good.
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W06 at Formula One World Championship, Rd17, Mexican Grand Prix, Race, Circuit Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico, Sunday 1 November 2015.
It would be a nice add-on to the title win.
Lewis Hamilton on the prospect of victory this weekend
Q: You have bagged your title - so you could just go home…
LH: No, I like to be here. This is a race that I have never won so it is very high on my list to finally tick this box. Actually I like it that there are still two races to go - not that I wouldn’t know what else to do with my time, but I am still excited getting into the car. It’s such a fantastic car! Funnily enough, I am actually not as excited about the break as I used to be in former years. But yes, I will be busy in the winter break with many projects - that shouldn’t surprise anybody! (laughs)
Q: You just said it: you’ve never won here. Why have your eight attempts to win here failed so far? Do you have any explanation for that?
LH: This track is very tricky. The track is difficult on the tyres - even if conditions are good. And probably it simply wasn’t meant to happen so far. This weekend is my ninth attempt - and believe me, I will do my best to make it happen this time. It would be a nice add-on to the title win!
Q: You have won your title with three races to go. Has that taken away a lot of the intensity?
LH: Not at all. I don’t feel that the intensity has changed, not really. Nico (Rosberg) is pushing very hard. He doesn’t want me to win and vice versa, so the race heat is still there. I really felt that on Sunday after the Mexican race.
Q: After that very race you said that the team was ‘cheering’ Nico up. Did you have the impression that they helped him to win that race?
LH: No!
(L to R): Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes AMG F1, Paddy Lowe (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 Executive Director (Technical), Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 and Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari celebrate on the podium at Formula One World Championship, Rd16, Unit...
They have made some amazing progress this year.
Lewis Hamilton on Ferrari
Q: For this year you are done. So what about next season? Ferrari are gearing up for a 2016 showdown. What is your impression?
LH: They have made some amazing progress this year, so we definitely must have them on our shortlist when it comes to race wins in 2016. If they are ahead in the development I have no idea. I have been in the [Mercedes] factory a couple of days in the last few weeks and was speaking with the engineers, so I know that we are on track with our 2016 car. What Ferrari is doing and how much progress they can make, who knows? You have to ask them! I am not the right man for that question.
Q: After Ferrari introduced their new engine spec in Monza there was a significant rise in their game…
LH: …I think they took their last step in Austin. And since then they are very close. But I still believe that Mercedes has the best engine. It is pretty hard at that top end of the sport to keep the gap that we had at the start of the season. It is always easier to chase. That is old driver wisdom. (laughs)
