Hamilton wants to end wait for Suzuka glory

Mark Bryans 08:33 01/10/2014
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  • In command: Lewis Hamilton leads Nico Rosberg by three points in the world championship race

    Lewis Hamilton is looking to join the greats of Formula One by winning at Suzuka this week – with the Mercedes driver hoping for a “straight battle” for the championship against team-mate Nico Rosberg in Abu Dhabi.

    Although he won at Fuji in his debut season in 2007, Hamilton has only once finished on the podium at Suzuka – which returned to the calendar in 2009 – and that was on the bottom step.

    But, on the back of consecutive wins, the Brit heads to Japan with a three-point lead at the top of the championship standings following Rosberg’s retirement in Singapore.

    Reliability has been the Achilles’ heel for Mercedes for much of a season which has seen them dominant when technical gremlins have been kept at bay.

    With five retirements, two for Rosberg and one more for his teammate, the German manufacturer has been unable to wrap up either championship, despite the obvious speed advantages, and now Hamilton is determined to see the title be decided on the track.

    “It was disappointing for the team to have another retirement but I know they have made this a priority moving forwards,” he said.

    “It’s levelled things up in the Drivers’ Championship, so hopefully we’ll now have a straight battle right to the flag in Abu Dhabi.”

    In the past Suzuka was later on in the calender and has often been the location where championships have been decided, with a long list of those champions enjoying success around the circuit.

    Hamilton is now searching to add his name to that of his contemporaries and believes he is now in the best position to do so.

    “Suzuka is one of the races on the calendar that drivers love the most – and arguably one of the greatest tracks in the world,” he added.

    “There’s so much history and there have been so many defining moments there – like those unforgettable battles between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.

    “I’ve never won at this circuit and have only made the podium once, on my first visit way back in 2009. I’ve had a couple of chances and last season was probably the best of those. This year, though, we have an exceptional car and I’m really hoping I’ll finally have my shot at the top step.

    “All the greats of Formula One have won at Suzuka since the sport first came there in the 1980s and I’m determined to add my name to that list this weekend.”

    Head of motorsport at Mercedes, Toto Wolff, also believes the title race will start to enter its most critical stages when the lights go out in Suzuka, but admitted he was aware that the problems getting both cars to the finish has to stop.

    “With five races to go and three points separating Lewis and Nico, it is now a straight fight between the two of them and each will be looking to gain the first advantage in Suzuka, one of the best driver’s circuits in the sport,” he said.

    “We are also now entering arguably the most intense phase of the racing season: the final quarter. Inside the team, motivation is stronger now than at any point so far this year. Every single one of us wants to finish 2014 in style.

    “Whilst it was good to see the pace of our car used to full effect by Lewis in the race (in Singapore), Nico’s problems left us under no illusions that our reliability must improve.”

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