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Title race is still open - Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton: "There's no team with a clear advantage so there's still everything to play for" © Sutton Images

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• Lewis Hamilton

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Lewis Hamilton believes there is still everything to play for in the title race as he prepares himself for the second half of the season, starting with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps next weekend.

Hamilton finished the first half of the season with a victory at the Hungaroring to close the gap to championship leader Fernando Alonso to 47 points. The McLaren driver is expecting a tough fight to completely close the gap to Alonso, but is confident the title race is still open.

"Given the unpredictability of the sport, I think it's still difficult to predict accurately who'll win the next grand prix, but I reckon the coming few weeks ought to give us a much clearer idea of the destination of the world title," he said. "It's going to be an extremely tough, tactical and interesting finale to the season. There's no team with a clear advantage - although we're all pushing hard to catch Fernando [Alonso]'s points tally in the drivers' championship - so there's still everything to play for."

Hamilton said his victory in Hungary put him in a positive state of mind heading into the summer break and he is now looking forward to the start of Friday practice at Spa-Francorchamps.

"My win in Hungary was a fantastic way to go into the summer break: it had the added bonus of sending the whole team away for their holidays with a positive feeling in their hearts. It's also given me the hope and assurance that we can come back for the final nine races with a real chance to go for both world championships.

"I really couldn't be happier that the season gets back down to business again in Belgium. Spa is one of the best circuits in the world - it's always a buzz to nail a fast lap around there, and, after five weeks out of the cockpit, that first lap on Friday morning is going to feel absolutely sensational.

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh said the team had returned from its summer break eager to win both drivers' and constructors' championships.

"Following the mandatory factory shutdown, we're fortunate to have had two full weeks available to prepare ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. As usual, we're heading into this double-header hopeful of closing the gap to the leaders in both the drivers' and constructors' championships. Lewis's victory in Hungary certainly provided further proof to us that we can take on the fight for both - and that remains our aim: to win both world championships."

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