Lewis Hamilton believes he is not in a position to fight competitively for the world championship despite holding a four-point lead over his key rival, Sebastian Vettel.
Preparing for the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend the Mercedes driver also criticised Formula One management for failing to consider drivers’ opinions in designing new circuits after he was disappointed by the layout for the new race in Miami next year, which was given official approval on Thursday.
Hamilton took the championship lead after he inherited a win at the last round in Baku when his team-mate, Valtteri Bottas, went out with a puncture in the dying laps. It was his first victory of a season during which his team have struggled to optimise his car and tyre performance at every meeting except Australia.
“I have zero comfortability. Since the last race I have not thought for one second that I am leading the world championship,” Hamilton said. “There is a long way to go. Imagine if I got excited now knowing that we still have all the problems. It doesn’t mean anything. What is important is where you are in the end.
“If this weekend we happen to get on top of the issues we have with the car and start to be more consistent then I will be a lot happier because I know then I can punch either at my weight or a little bit above, but at the moment I am punching below my weight and that is not sufficient to win a world championship. We have been capitalising on circumstances like the outcome of the last race, so I will take it for now but in the long term the team cannot rely on that.”
Hamilton had previously posted on social media criticising the Miami track and went further in Barcelona. “I don’t get why great golfers design golf courses but I don’t think any of the top racing drivers have ever designed a race track,” he said. “Miami is a super-cool place and I was very exited to hear about it but then I saw the layout and my reaction was: ‘Nah.’
“I dread the thought of a street circuit we had like Valencia, which wasn’t great. It can be very hit and miss but maybe it will be a hit. If there is time and anyone wants to approach me or any other drivers, I am sure we can give some good insight into what the layout is like and how it could be better. I know Miami quite well and there are some better locations to put the track.”