Hamilton, however, feels confident in W05 ahead of Interlagos race
Tuesday 25 November 2014 17:46, UK
Title-chasing Lewis Hamilton insists he doesn’t feel in a particular ‘groove’ about winning from second on the grid and that overtaking Nico Rosberg again won’t be easy in Sunday’s Brazilian GP.
Championship outsider Rosberg’s winning of the latest Mercedes pole duel on Saturday means Hamilton will start behind his team-mate on the front-row at Interlagos for the seventh time this season. However, on those previous occasions Hamilton has triumphed from second three times by overtaking the sister car – Bahrain, Japan and last weekend in Austin – whereas Monaco is the only time Rosberg has converted from the head of an all-Mercedes front-row.
In total, four of Hamilton’s ten race victories this season have come from second or lower on the grid and the Briton, while downplaying the significance of his success rate from second recently, admitted he’d learned over the years that pole isn't the be all and end all to a successful race.
“Not a groove, no. I’ve not always started on pole in my life," Hamilton said on Saturday night.
“The race is a lot different, there’s lots that can go on in the race. Maybe over the years I’ve really fully understood that there’s lots that can happen on Sunday. There are many times I’ve been really disappointed after qualifying from getting second, but it’s looking good for tomorrow and the performance.”
The fact Hamilton has passed Rosberg on track to race-winning effect on four separate occasions this season has prompted many pundits to keep the Briton as the favourite for Sunday’s Interlagos race, despite the German topping every practice and qualifying session so far this weekend.
But although Interlagos historically producing action-packed, unpredictable races, Hamilton has insisted: “This is a track that’s very hard for overtaking. We've got two exactly same cars so it will be very, very hard to do any overtaking.
“So I guess as the race unfolds the opportunities – or there might not be any opportunities – will come.”
Hamilton would open up a season-high advantage of 31 points should be claim a sixth successive win on Sunday and the historical omens are certainly on his side - since the current Interlagos layout was introduced in 2000 only three polesitters have won the race.
