Lewis Hamilton says he was “petrified” amid the United States Grand Prix that an unwavering quality issue would cost him another win.
Hamilton has endured a string of engine issues that have influenced his title trusts this season and seen Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg build up a significant lead.
Hamilton said he was “spooky” by what had transpired at the Malaysian Grand Prix two races back, where he ruled just for an engine issue to take away a triumph that would have given him the title lead. Hamilton said: “I just want to keep my head down and do the best job possible all weekend and I can’t control what will happen behind. All I can do is make sure when I leave this season I know I did everything with a full heart.”
Hamilton said: “I was just petrified the car wasn’t going to make it.
“That’s probably the first time in my whole career I have had that weighing heavily on my heart throughout the whole thing.” He further said, “It was the longest afternoon I had probably in my whole career, just hoping the car makes it to the end. “Every single lap I was thinking something might happen.”
Rather, he left that race having gained a 23-direct shortfall toward Rosberg, which reached out to 33 when Rosberg won the next weekend in Japan while Hamilton completed third.
He further said, “I had completely forgotten it was going to be the 50th. It’s been a long time coming.
I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I have been here for 10 years, I’ve had lots of ups and down and lots of great opportunities to work with some incredibly gifted people who have helped me get here today. Then my family as well without whom I wouldn’t be here today. It’s kind of very surreal, for sure. I can’t believe there are only three of us but hopefully on to bigger and better things.”
