Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton insists he will come out fighting at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix after a technical fault in Singapore allowed his rivals to close the gap at the top of the drivers’ standings.
Hamilton, who is priced at 1.14 to win the World Driver’s Championship, failed to finish a race for the first time this season at the Marina Bay Circuit after a simple metal clamp came loose in his engine, leading to a sudden loss of power.
Team mate Nico Rosberg, who can be backed at 12.00 to claim the Driver’s Championship, came home in fourth and now sits 41 points behind the Brit in the battle to be world champion.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel took full advantage of the slip from Mercedes and claimed the team’s third win of the campaign to move within eight points of Rosberg.
Hamilton endured a torrid time over the course of the weekend having failed to earn a record-equalling eighth straight pole position as he went in search of his eighth win of the campaign.
The 30-year-old still boasts a healthy lead in the title race but acknowledges that any more technical faults in the remaining six races could see his grip on top spot loosen.
The former McLaren man insists he will not allow the weekend to play on his mind and hopes to come out on top form again when the season resumes at Japan’s Suzuka circuit.
Hamilton said: “It’s still a long way to go and I know I lost some points today, but I was fast and on form and I will make sure I bring that out to Suzuka to fight back.
“The race was going very well. For me it felt like I was driving at my best in the race. I think I had the pace to win. I did everything.”
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