Abu Dhabi : The Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes, who have two drivers in the pack of five chasing the drivers championship — and are second in the Constructors Championship — are hopeful of landing the double.
With only the Brazilian GP next Sunday to be followed by the final race in Abu Dhabi on November 14, Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh said, "We're now reaching the critical climax of this year's world championship. With the two final races spread just one week apart, and five drivers still in the hunt for overall honours, it's a fascinating and thrilling prospect for our sport."
"If Formula 1 has taught us competitors one thing over the past couple of years, it's to never give up hope until the odds are no longer possible, and that the most unexpected outcome can become a very real and viable possibility sooner than you can readily imagine," he said.
Determined
"With that in mind, we go to Brazil, and then on to Abu Dhabi, still determined to wrest both world championships," Whitmarsh said.
"Lewis [Hamilton] is well-placed in the drivers' championship. While Jenson [Button] lies 42 points adrift, he has vowed to fight on. As the reigning world champion, and a great driver, he knows better than most that you can't lift the title without being a resolute fighter. That's exactly why we hired him, and we'll be supporting him fully this weekend," he said.
Hamilton is hoping for a good result in Brazil so that he can take the battle to Abu Dhabi. "I know the world championship is figuring in everybody's thoughts at the moment, but I'm not thinking about it too much: I need to get a good result in Brazil to take the fight to Abu Dhabi, so that's my priority. Whatever happens, it's going to be a very tight battle," said the 2008 champion who finished second in the Korean GP in the last race."
"We go to Brazil knowing that we may not have the fastest car, but we'll have a decent package that should work well. We have a strong engine and good straight-line speed, so I think we'll still be quick — crucially, that combination should give us the opportunity to pass into the first corner, which is probably the best overtaking spot on the track," Hamilton said.
