Lewis Hamilton admits he faces huge fight to retain his Formula One title – but says that’s exactly how he likes it
LEWIS HAMILTON has a huge fight on his hands if he is to retain his Formula One title - but says he would not want it any other way.
The Brit is 26 points behind his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg ahead of this weekend's Mexico Grand Prix with just three races remaining.
In fact, Rosberg can clinch his maiden F1 title here in Mexico City if he wins on Sunday and Hamilton finishes 10th or lower.
It leaves Hamilton with a mountain to climb to land his fourth world crown but the 31-year-old says he enjoys doing things the hard way.
He said: I don't feel that I arrive at a Grand Prix, or any completion racing or not, and I want it to be easy. I love doing things that are difficult.
"If I go rock climbing, I don't go for the easiest wall, I go for the hardest first.
"It is almost as if my eyes are too big for my belly and order a bigger plate and cannot finish it.
"I always go for the hardest wall and sometimes I make it and sometimes I don't, but I love the challenge.
"Would I like to be in a different positing right now? Of course, but that's not how it is. I just know I have this challenge in front of me and s***, I am ready to go.
"I am ready to fight and if it doesn't turn out, then it is ok, but if it does, then great.
"I am just getting my mind ready to get pole and win the race from start to finish. That's my goal."
After his victory last out in the United States GP, Hamilton arrived here in Mexico in relaxed mood.
While his win in Austin reduced Rosberg's advantage, Hamilton is realistic in that the outcome of the title race is out of his hands.
He added: "I approach this race in the same way I do every race, but I am definitely more relaxed because I have accepted that things are now out of my power.
"All I can do is control is what is in the car and what I can do, so as long as I put all my energy into that, hopefully I can get the same result as I did last weekend, but if I don't, then I will move on.
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"So for as long as I have that possibility, even if it is just one per cent, then I will be going for it."
Hamilton admitted after his win in Austin that he was nervous about another mechanical problem, which has cost him so substantially this season.
And he says he will constantly be worrying about the reliability of his Mercedes engine until he crosses the line in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi on November 27th.
He said: "That fear will probably continue until we cross the line in Abu Dhabi.
"The worry will probably happen more often because I am on my eighth engine and failures have happened to me more than the others this year.
"But I am confident everyone is doing all they can to make sure it does not happen, but these things are out of our hands.
"This year, things have happened out of control, so I guess you have to take everything with a pinch of salt."