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Hamilton: "The pressure is at its highest I can ever remember"

14:15, 08 Sep 2018

byJake Williams-Smith

Lewis Hamilton believes that the pressure that is being applied from this year's championship battle is the highest he has experienced in his career. The Mercedes driver currently leads the standings by 30 points over rival Sebastian Vettel but in a car most regard as the slightly worse package overall.

Since an engine upgrade by the Scuderia halfway through the European season, Ferrari has had the upper hand by the slightest of margins in the title fight in terms of car performance, but form and execution from the Italian team mean that it is Hamilton who leads the way with just seven races remaining this season.

"The heat is there and it is unavoidable for all of us," Hamilton told ESPN.

"It is very difficult for people watching who are not naturally in it to feel what we feel. The pressure is at its highest I can ever remember. That's the pressure you put on yourself to success and your desires and your fears and all the people who are depending on you, which is a lot of people."

Despite leading both championships, Mercedes has been fighting against a stronger enemy this season than they have ever fought since returning to the sport in 2010 and certainly since the beginning of the hybrid-era in 2014. Hamilton though is still taking things one race at a time in such a titanic battle between two of the sports all-time greats.

"I don't really want to talk about the ifs and put anything out there just yet. I want to take it one race at a time than say, 'If this happens or that happens.' The pressure is so high, all I can do is try and deliver every weekend.

"All I can say is that I am definitely extracting more out of the car, but I think definitely these last three races, and those three wins, those weekends, we've not had the upper hand.

"We have been one or two steps behind and then finish ahead -- that's an incredibly proud feeling for everyone in the team and I am sure it is that excitement which is spurring everyone else on. There are still seven races to go and a lot of points and trust me, we are not being complacent at all.

"We know we have got to work even harder than they are to close the gap or to make sure we deliver results like this more often."

Hamilton also reflected on what could be argued as an unlikely win at Monza, with Ferrari having looked so strong up until race day when it was the Briton who was taking the risks and advantages from his rivals' misfortune.

"(Italy) could easily have been the other way and we could have lost a lot of ground. Going into the race I was thinking about my GP2 race years ago and the moment Ron told me I would have the opportunity, he said he was going to give me a chance, and the roller-coaster ride since then.

"Every race you want to find that balance of not being too aggressive and making mistakes. Sometimes you over-do it and other times you leave stuff on the table. I was like, 'I do not want to walk away thinking that I'd left something on the table.' I loved that wheel-to-wheel battle I had with Kimi and that's the thing I like most about racing."