Hamilton will take nothing for granted
Even if the Briton wins the Brazilian Grand Prix, he could miss out on the F1 title if he flops in Abu Dhabi and Rosberg grabs double points
Lewis Hamilton expects another fierce challenge from Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg when the pair resume hostilities at the Brazilian Grand Prix with the season-ending Abu Dhabi double points lottery looming.
Only days after claiming his 10th win of the season at the United States Grand Prix in Texas, Hamilton has pledged to work as hard as possible to triumph again in his bid for a second championship.
But the 2008 champion knows that even if he wins at Interlagos on Sunday, and his German rival fails to finish, he can still miss out on the title if he flops in Abu Dhabi and Rosberg grabs double points with a victory worth 50 points in the final race of the season.
There's no real special recipe or anything like that, I'm just going to try to improve
"I feel that I understand the processes that I need and I know what it takes," said Hamilton as he looked ahead to this weekend's race. There's no real special recipe or anything like that, I'm just going to work my a*** off for these next two races and try to improve."
In Texas, he admitted that the prospect of losing the title under the double points rule in Abu Dhabi "would suck".
Rosberg, understandably, has said he will accept the glory whatever happens - he just wants to be champion by any means.
"It is what it is, I don't really care," said Rosberg. "As long as I have one point more at the chequered flag at Abu Dhabi, I don't care why or how. It's the same for everybody ... it's a childhood dream, isn't it, to be F1 World Champion? It would be very special."
Hamilton won his fifth consecutive race in Austin to open up a 24-point lead ahead of Rosberg.
