World champion hopes to be back "100 per cent" in time for race weekend after illness at Hockenheim, wherre he endured nightmare race
Thursday 1 August 2019 17:45, UK
Lewis Hamilton says he is in "much better shape" for this weekend's Hungarian GP after feeling unwell in what turned into a nightmare for Mercedes in Germany.
F1's world champion driver and team endured an unusually poor race day last Sunday, with Hamilton slipping from the lead to what was originally 11th at the finish before post-race penalties promoted him to ninth.
Hamilton said on Sunday night that he was heading straight home to rest before flying out to Budapest and, ahead of his media engagements on Thursday, the five-time champion declared he was feeling fitter.
"I'm in much better shape coming into the weekend, hoping to be 100 per cent by the weekend," said Hamilton on Instagram.
"Budapest is beautiful and the weather's great. Crunch time, let's go for it."
Hamilton later told reporters: "I've slept literally the last three days, so I feel a lot better.
"I'm hoping to be 100 per cent by the weekend, I still feel I need a bit more rest. I've just been fighting off some kind of bug. I definitely feel like I'm in much, much better fighting shape for the weekend and I can't tell you how good that feels.
"I'm looking forward to getting back in the car which is completely different to how I was feeling last Friday when getting in the car was not such a good feeling."
Hamilton has won the Hungarian GP a record six times, two more than any other driver, and holds a season-high championship advantage of 41 points over team-mate Valtteri Bottas after the Finn crashed out in Germany.
The 34-year-old gained an unexpected two-point haul when both Alfa Romeo cars, which had finished seventh and eighth, were handed post-race time penalties for clutch infringements on the formation laps. Alfa Romeo are appealing the verdict.
On his arrival in Budapest, Hamilton said he was not dwelling on what proved a rare off-weekend.
"I'm focused on this weekend now. I don't have any negative feelings or carry any weight from that weekend, I just try and focus 100 per cent on this weekend. I don't plan on looking back," said the world champion.
"I'm definitely hopeful that the car will be better this weekend."
Don't miss the next instalment of F1 2019 at the Hungarian GP this weekend on Sky Sports F1 - the final race before the summer break. Find out how to watch all the 2019 season live.
