GreenBkk Formula 1 | Hamilton warns rivals he has nothing to lose

Hamilton warns rivals he has nothing to lose

Credit: ESPN F1 (http://en.espnf1.com)

Lewis Hamilton: "I don't have to be cautious at all in the race. Perhaps they need to think about that…" © Sutton Images

Lewis Hamilton is taking an all-or-nothing approach to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and has warned his rivals to think about that when they are racing wheel-to-wheel with him.

Hamilton qualified second on Saturday, just 0.03 seconds off Sebastian Vettel on pole. To win the championship Hamilton needs to come first in the race with Vettel third or worse, Mark Webber sixth or worse and Fernando Alonso failing to score.

But he said he was thinking purely about winning the race on Sunday, not the championship.

"On the grid tomorrow, I don't have to worry about who's around me - they all have to worry about who's around them," he said. "I've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. It's the other drivers who'll have to worry; I don't have to be cautious at all in the race. Perhaps they need to think about that…

"Both Jenson [Button] and I qualified well today, so this is good news for us in the battle for second place in the constructors' world championship. I'd love for us to finish one-two tomorrow - that would be a real high for the whole team.

"I'm not focusing on winning the drivers' title; I'm just focusing on winning this race."

He said he had got the very best from the car on his qualifying lap and admitted it was a shame his team had not found that kind of performance a couple of races earlier when he was still at the centre of the title fight.

"I'm absolutely delighted - this is my best qualifying performance since Spa, and I pushed as hard as I could and got everything and more out of the car. To be just three-hundredths off the fastest Red Bull is extremely good news for the team.

"We've worked incredibly hard all year, but we couldn't quite catch them up quickly enough. Even so, to be right behind the one on pole - and have both Ferraris behind - is a great achievement."

Credit: ESPN F1 (http://en.espnf1.com)