Lewis Hamilton only has to finish second at this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to win his second world title. For a driver of his talent in a car as dominant as the Mercedes it should be easy, but in previous years he has had a habit of making things difficult.
In his rookie year in 2007 Hamilton saw a chance to win the title slip through his fingers and the following year it was so nearly the same story until the final corner of the final lap. Memories of how close he came to losing the title that weekend in 2008 still haunt him now.
Lewis Hamilton's credentials
- Honours: Formula Renault 2.0 UK (2003), Formula 3 Euro Series (2005), GP2 championship (2006), Formula One world champion (2008)
- Formula One debut: 2007 Australian Grand Prix
- Teams:McLaren (2007-2012), Mercedes (2013-)
- Wins:32
- First win: 2007 Canadian Grand Prix
"In 2008 I felt like it was sunny everywhere and I just had this black cloud over me and it was raining," he recalled. "No matter which way I moved this cloud was still raining on me."
But this year things are different. The sulks and mood swings of previous seasons are far less frequent and he seems content dedicating his full attention to F1 again. Even the spectre of losing the title on double points does not creep into his dreams at night.
"No, my dreams are usually with Nicole," Hamilton joked in Brazil. "And my dreams are usually pretty good with Nicole, so I don't really dream much about racing at the moment."
But it's not just his pop star girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger keeping him happy. At the end of 2012, Hamilton decided to leave McLaren, the team that gave him his big break, for Mercedes. The move was akin to a teenager leaving home as he walked away from the team that had spotted his raw talent at 13 years old in go-karts and groomed him to become a world champion.
At the time Hamilton was criticised for making such a bold move, especially as McLaren finished 2012 with the fastest car while Mercedes appeared to be treading water. But it proved to be an inspired decision that not only gifted him with the best car on the grid two years later, but also allowed him to be himself.
During his time at McLaren so much of his image and personality appeared controlled. Everything from his tweets to his McLaren-branded shoes had to meet the team's approval, but Hamilton was growing as a celebrity and with it developing his own style. Part of his deal with Mercedes has given him freedoms that he never enjoyed at McLaren and it appears to have worked wonders. Of course, having a winning car has also had an impact on his motivation, but there is no doubt he is in as good a place this year as he has been since winning the title in 2008.
"My dream is to win this championship. It feels like I'm going for it for the first time because it's been so long since I won a championship. But the hunger, the determination and the will feels greater than anything I have experienced in my life. I hope that drives me to be ahead. Who knows what the future holds, but whatever the case at the end of this year, I will be fighting for many years to come and I would hope that I'll be in competition."
Just a kid from the UK that had a dream. #youcandoittoo #nevergiveup #TeamLH #MegaJet #RoadtoAbuDhabi #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/yGxbf5He4F
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) November 18, 2014That dedication to win on track has also crept into his personal life. A four-week summer break in the middle of the season between the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix gives drivers the chance to unwind and relax in whatever way they see fit. But rather than partying the weeks away as you might expect a celebrity of his status to do, Hamilton decided to relax.
"My summer? I just enjoyed time with family and friends and every now and then I put in some training to make sure I don't put on the weight. I was making sure I came back fresh, so getting into bed early and I wasn't going out partying at all during the whole break.
"I was just making sure I got those eight or nine hours every night, feeling fresh and eating well. That was it really and I came back feeling good going into Spa. Even though I had that big hit in Spa that energy boost from the break helped me follow through from that."
Hamilton's reference to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps is an important one. At that race his Mercedes team-mate and title rival Nico Rosberg crashed into him, taking Hamilton out of contention while Rosberg went on to finish second. It resulted in the biggest gap in points between the two all season and it was in Rosberg's favour. But Hamilton responded in the best possible way, winning five races in a row in order to retake the lead in the championship. It's part of the reason he is so at peace with himself going into the final round.
"I feel comfortable with where I am and I feel I've done everything that I can. At the end of the day that's all you can and do. Whatever the result at the end of it that's the way it is, but I will have done everything I could. And I will know I've done everything I could, so I will go into the winter knowing I did everything and not thinking 'if only I did this or if only I did that'."
With that attitude, securing second place on Sunday doesn't seem so daunting.
Laurence Edmondson is deputy editor of ESPNF1
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Laurence Edmondson is deputy editor of ESPNF1 Laurence Edmondson grew up on a Sunday afternoon diet of Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell and first stepped in the paddock as a Bridgestone competition finalist in 2005. He worked for ITV-F1 after graduating from university and has been ESPNF1's deputy editor since 2010
