GreenBkk Formula 1 | 'I have nothing to lose' - Hamilton

'I have nothing to lose' - Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton: "Obviously I have to win this race. That's what we plan to do." © Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton is approaching the final race of the season with an all-or-nothing attitude, as he arrives in Abu Dhabi needing a victory just to keep his championship chances alive.

Hamilton is 24 points off championship leader Fernando Alonso and needs to come first in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Sebastian Vettel third or worse, Mark Webber sixth or worse and Alonso outside the points to take the title. The McLaren driver acknowledged he is the rank outsider, but is still targeting victory on Sunday.

"For me, I have nothing to lose," he said. "The guys in front of me have everything to lose, so for me I am going to be flat out as always. They have got generally faster cars than me but that doesn't mean that we cannot fight for a win. Obviously I have to win this race. That's what we plan to do."

He expects the McLaren to be quick on Abu Dhabi's two long straights and believes that might enable him to move up through the field during the race.

"We have got a good engine," Hamilton said. "We have got relatively good downforce. I think in general we are quite quick down the straights. Maybe we have a little bit less downforce than the guys in front, so the straight really is our main strength. There are quite a good few straights here, so overtaking is definitely not impossible here."

Hamilton has come to terms with the likelihood of missing out on the title for another year and said he was happy just to have a slim chance at the final round.

"I think it will be less disappointing for me [if I miss out on the title] as I am so far back," he said. "I think for us we have had an interesting year, happy to be here still kind of fighting for the championship with a still relatively small chance of winning the championship. We have given it our all this year and that's all we could really hope for. The others guys have generally done a slightly better job and we look forward to next year. I am just happy to be here. It is kind of cool to still be in the mix, just on the edge, like being on the edge of the green."

Credit: ESPN F1