Lewis Hamilton: title fight with Nico Rosberg is good for Formula One

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/oct/03/lewis-hamilton-title-nico-rosberg-formula-one

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Lewis Hamilton believes his battle for the world championship with Nico Rosberg is good for Formula One despite the pair’s dominance this season, and has said he is no longer troubled by the reliability problems that have stymied his title bid thus far.

Both drivers might have to adapt a little this weekend, however, as consideration is being given to starting the race early due to typhoon Phanfone which is scheduled to arrive here or Monday.

Hamilton has been in a dramatic battle with Rosberg since the season began and now, after a win in Singapore where his rival failed to finish, he leads the title fight by three points, only the second time he has done so since going ahead after the Spanish Grand Prix.

It was at Suzuka that Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna had two of their most famous coming togethers, in 1989 and 1990, and as he resumes his own title fight at the same circuit Hamilton felt compelled to recall that great rivalry. “It was epic,” he said. “It was a cool period of time in Formula One.”

“We need more of them [battles], I think. I’m proud that I can be in a time where it is happening. To be in that mix is so cool, rather than watch it happen ahead of you, which I’ve had at many races in the past, so I don’t take it for granted.”

Several times this season Formula One fans have been denied a genuine head-to-head fight between the Mercedes pair due to mechanical failures, something Rosberg now feels the team are on top of. It is Hamilton, however, who has been hit the harder, with two race failures and two in qualifying. But he insisted yesterday that he does not dwell on such events and accepts they could recur in the final five races of the season.

“I come in knowing anything can happen, because I’ve been through these experiences before,” the 29-year-old said. “I don’t want anything negative to happen but I feel hopefully positive that it won’t be the be all and end all.

“The team are working very hard on reliability. You’ve got to remember, this team came from not having much speed, so they’ve not had to work on reliability they’ve had to work on being fast. And now all of a sudden they are fast and they’ve got to make sure they’ve got the foundation of reliability behind them. It’s not something we can just do in a couple of weeks.”

All has gone well for both drivers in Suzuka, and it was honours even across the pair after practice on Friday. Hamilton topped the second session just over two-tenths clear of his rival, with Rosberg ahead by just over a tenth in the morning run.

Both sessions took place in dry, sunny conditions, which are not expected for qualifying on Saturday or race day. Typhoon Phanfone may not strike at race time – the Formula One weather forecaster UBIMET stated on Friday that the “centre of the typhoon will pass close by on Monday morning with widespread transport disruption, structural damage and possible injuries” – but the associated weather systems are still expected to bring very heavy rain to the track on Sunday.

The race cannot be postponed with a back-to-back trip to Russia scheduled and equipment needing to be shipped out, and bringing it forward to Saturday has been rejected.

With rain delays possible and darkness falling by 6pm in this part of Japan, the FIA is considering bringing the race forward on Sunday from its current start time of 3pm.