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| Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton interviewed after taking the pole position during qualifying for the Unites States Grand Prix |
Lewis Hamilton feels a fifth Formula One title would be his proudest achievement and he wants to seal it by winning Sundayโs Mexican Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver, who is set to equal the title tally of the late Argentine great Juan Manuel Fangio, need finish only seventh to be sure of the world championship with two races to spare.
The 33-year-old Briton won last yearโs title by finishing ninth in Mexico after a collision with Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel at the start.
โItโs an added bonus to an already great year when you do win the race to get the title. My goal is to try to win the race this weekend,โ he told reporters on Thursday.
โI remember when I won my first (in 2008), one of the ex-champions had said its always harder to get the second, which it felt like it was.
โThe first one felt incredibly hard already but from then on it just got harder and harder to win a championship.โ
Hamilton said the season had been one of the most enjoyable years of his career, given the challenge faced.
โSo if I were to win the title it would be one I would probably be most proud of and able to appreciate most,โ he added.
Hamilton has won nine races this season, to Vettelโs five, and is 70 points clear of the German.
Another win would be the 72nd of his career, leaving him 19 adrift of the all-time record of seven times world champion Michael Schumacher, the most successful driver in the sport.
Sunday will be Hamiltonโs second chance to wrap up the season after he failed to do so in Texas last weekend by finishing third.
โIn the past sitting back and watching grands prix on TV with bacon toasties in the morning, I would have wanted it to go to the end. But Iโm not in that seat,โ said the reigning champion of the title battle.
โWhen youโre in it and living it you just want to get it done. As long as you get it done.โ
Despite that, the Briton appeared relaxed โ as he had been in the United States last week.
โItโs not my first rodeo. Iโm guessing thatโs just the place that I am at in my life. Being that I am a bit older and I have the experience to know what I need to do to get myself into shape, and Iโm just really enjoying racing,โ he said.
Hamilton said his car had been taken apart just before the Austin race to change the water pumps.
โThey took the car apart and when they put it back together, it was imbalanced, with a massive cross-weight in the order of 50kg,โ he said. โIf we had not had that problem, it would have been a much different race.โ
Mercedes said a number of factors can cause a cross weight issue but the car had been reassembled correctly by the mechanics.
