The British former champion said his Mercedes rival is too good to take his retirement from the Singapore Grand Prix lying down. Hamilton won to take a three point lead in the drivers’ championship.
“Rosberg is such a strong competitor,” said Hamilton. “Ever since we were young kids, he’s always been strong mentally, confident and sure of his abilities. He’s shown time and time again his pace, his speed, and he’s also shown how quickly he can overcome things.
“I think he handled the last race with dignity. He was positive, it felt – at least from what I could see – like he moved on very quickly so I anticipate he’ll be here and stronger than ever so I need to be ready for that.”
Hamilton added that he would not change his own approach to the next race at Suzuka, even though he is now ahead.
“It doesn’t change anything for me,” he said. “I’m still here to do the same job, I feel like we’re both chasing that title so I don’t think anything needs to change.”
Rosberg told reporters the Singapore retirement was “just a tough moment, but time is the best cure for such things and there’s been two weeks which is plenty of time in the racing world.
“For me it’s completely forgotten. Now I’m here I’m just as optimistic and excited as I was before Singapore, and I’m just looking forward to it because I’m in Suzuka.”
Organisers braced for typhoon chaos
Race organisers are bracing themselves for a rain-disrupted Japanese Grand Prix as a powerful typhoon closes in.
Heavy rain lashed the Suzuka circuit yesterday with more wet and windy weather forecast for the weekend as Typhoon Phanfone is predicted to slam into Japan on Monday.
Several drivers have been warned, with Force India’s Sergio Perez telling reporters, “The hurricane might come. If it comes, probably we won’t be able to race.”
Organisers could be forced to tweak the schedule to avoid major disruption should the typhoon strike the region.
Severe weather conditions are nothing new at the Japanese Grand Prix, and a cancellation remains highly unlikely.
The race has twice been thrown into chaos by extreme weather in the last decade, with torrential rain delaying qualifying until race-day morning in 2004 and 2010.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 3rd, 2014.
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