Hamilton: No such thing as a guarantee for winning

For the past three years Mercedes have been unbeatable in Russia, but this weekend it seems that there is no victory guaranteed for the Silver Arrows at Sochi Autodrom, a venue which has previously played to the World Champion team’s strengths.

Speaking after playing second fiddle to Ferrari in free practice, Hamilton said, “There is no such thing as a guarantee for winning – not even here!”

“If we win this weekend then it will be because we have worked very hard for it and not because of the opinion that people have that this is a ‘Mercedes track’! We have to earn it fair and square!”

“We have to find some changes that will help us get back to the strength that we had and that Ferrari obviously has at this very moment. I am sure that we will achieve it – and in one thing people are right: this is a different track to Melbourne and Bahrain – so everything is blown wide open for Sunday!”

Mercedes have led every lap of the three races held at the track that winds around the city’s Olympic village.

But Hamilton points out that things are very different this year, “The DNA of the car is pretty much the same to the previous year. But the tyres are completely different, and that makes the setup completely different. So we cannot just take the setup of last year and bring it to this year’s car. That would be the direct way of losing the race!”

Hamilton has one win in three races, while championship leader Sebastian Vettel has two, but it’s still early days and the Briton asks, “What will it mean to fight back?”

“That I have to be on my personal top level! And as for the team, I know that we have what it takes. The fact that we are no longer alone out there when it comes to title chances does not mean that we have lost it. I don’t believe that we have to take it as God given that Ferrari is now ahead.”

“That we will have a two horse race for the championship this year doesn’t really change so much: we have to get back to where we were last season – that is all. And that is at the very top!” added Hamilton.

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