Lewis Hamilton: Why I won’t win world title at US Grand Prix

Hamilton broke Michael Schumacher’s record for the all-time number of pole positions in F1 history earlier in the season and has now broken the legend’s record for front-row starts.

For the Mercedes driver to clinch his fourth world championship in tomorrow’s race he needs to outscore Sebastian Vettel by 16 points.

But Hamilton’s rival put in a stellar lap to put his car in between the two Mercedes cars and alongside Hamilton on the front row.

Vettel has endured a torrid few months having retired from two of the last three races but can keep the heat on Hamilton if he is able to claim victory at the Circuit of the Americas.

Hamilton is currently 59 points ahead of Vettel in the drivers’ standings, but the British racer believes the title race will go on into the latter stages of the campaign.

“I think it’s very unlikely that it will be done tomorrow,” Hamilton said.

“Unless he makes a silly mistake, which is unlikely as he’s a four-time world champion, it’s going to continue to the other races.

“The track was very difficult today with the wind picking up, you’ve got a head wind down to Turn One and through the fast section there was a tail wind, then a head wind through the nine – it was shifting through the lap.

“But that’s why I love this track. It’s a great circuit to drive especially with a car like that.

“It’s going to be a great race tomorrow and a tough one because looking after the tyres in these conditions is tough but I’m the best prepared I can be.”