P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he didn’t expect to be “knocking on the door of the most dominant car of our era” with the battle for second in the F1 drivers’ championship still up for grabs.
Hamilton currently trails Sergio Perez by 32 points in the championship standings, with only two races remaining. Despite a disqualification in the United States Grand Prix and a Lap 1 DNF in Qatar, Hamilton remains in contention for second place. Mercedes has made progress throughout the season, starting as the fourth-fastest team but now competing for second in the constructors’ championship. Hamilton acknowledges that Perez would need two disastrous races for him to have a chance at second place. He is grateful for Mercedes’ performance this year, considering the car they have. Hamilton expects an improvement in Las Vegas but is uncertain about the competitiveness of the W14 on the long straights. He anticipates a challenge to keep up with others on the straights while maintaining pace in the corners.
