World champ says recent run of wins "empowering" and declares "game on" in Hungary with Red Bull set to challenge Mercedes
Monday 25 July 2016 12:02, UK
Lewis Hamilton says he feels like he is "riding the waves" amid the run of victories which have taken him to within a point of Nico Rosberg in the world championship.
After back-to-back wins in Austria and Britain, and four victories from the last five races, Hamilton can overhaul his Mercedes team-mate at the head of the standings for the first time in 2016 if he finishes ahead of Rosberg this weekend in Hungary.
"It doesn't change the pressures but, of course, the feelings of 43 points behind and one point behind, there's a big difference," Hamilton told reporters in Hungary, just six races after Rosberg held a championship lead nearly the equivalent of two race victories.
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"But the last two races when you go from one strength to another is an incredibly empowering feeling - and motivating and inspiring.
"The last race [at Silverstone] was a sweet as I can remember. Hopefully riding that good wave this weekend and planning to catch the next one."
Ahead of this weekend's race in Budapest, Hamilton was in Saint-Tropez in the south of France and posted pictures on social media of him relaxing on a yacht out at sea.
And the world champion used a surfing analogy to describe his current momentum in the title race: "Sometimes you have to wait for the waves to come.
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"Sometimes they don't come, but eventually they do. Sometimes you fall when you get up on that wave, but to catch it is the greatest feeling. It is very much how it is right now, to be on top of the wave. I'm not a really good surfer but I'm pretty good right now!"
May's Spanish GP aside, when the Mercedes team-mates took each other out on the opening lap, Hamilton and Rosberg have shared the race wins between them so far this season with the world title battle seemingly an exclusive duel once more.
However, the Brackley team are braced for a close battle with Red Bull at the Hungaroring - the only circuit Mercedes are yet to win at since their era of dominance began in 2014.
Asked why their advantage over Red Bull and Ferrari had again been so large in Austria and Britain, Hamilton replied: "We don't really understand, particularly in the last race. But the step change you've seen, we've not made that in development.
"As far as I'm aware, here is a downforce and drag-sensitive circuit and we believe that Red Bull design their car to a higher spec of downforce than we do, it's not really needed in most places. I think Ferrari maybe, also.
"So this is a track where the gap will be very close, which is great for racing. So, game on!"
