While Lewis Hamilton has had more than his fair share of bad luck this season, his determination and the equipment at his disposal has allowed him to score seven wins and remain in the fight for a fourth title.

Whilst in no way attempting to play down the issues earlier in the season it was frustrating in the summer, coming off the back of a streak which saw him win six out of seven races, to hear him claiming that he had been on the back foot all year.

Those already claiming that Mercedes was deliberately thwarting the Briton in favour of his German teammate were given fresh ammunition following the Malaysia Grand Prix, though the Briton subsequently clarified his remarks claiming that it was a power greater than Stuttgart that has it in for him.

While there have been reliability issues, at times Hamilton hasn't exactly helped his own cause, the poor starts in Italy and Japan being good examples.

This last weekend however, everything went exactly to plan, his hours spent in the simulator in Brackley last week paying off, the Briton leading the field into the infamous Turn 1 and leaving the opposition in his wake.

However, rather than savour the moment, Hamilton once again sought the negatives, insisting that he was fearful of failure throughout the 56 lap race.

"I was just the whole race concerned the car was not going to make it so right," he revealed at the post-race press conference. "I've been told the line, I was just in fear of the same thing, the same feeling, the sound that I heard in Malaysia, so I was grateful that the car made it across the line and I have a lot more confidence in his reliability.

"It's going well for him," he added, referring to his teammate. "I've just got to continue to do my job and hope for the best."

In case anyone had missed out, he repeated his fears when speaking to Sky Sports F1.

"That was the longest afternoon I have had," he said, "I didn't know if the car was going to make it, that was the biggest concern I had throughout the race.

"I was petrified the whole race," he added. "I am haunted by the sound l heard in Malaysia. It weighed heavy throughout the whole race.

"The whole race, I couldn't get my mind off the reliability issues," he continued, "because we had another problem through qualifying yesterday, so I was down on power to Nico today which cost me almost two seconds, so I was conscious of... sometimes down the straight I was half throttle, thinking 'please don't go'. Fortunately it didn't and it's a great result for the team."

Asked if he will head to Mexico feeling confident, he said: "Not really, again reliability is my, you know... I don't think he (Rosberg) has a single worry about that but I do, and so that's really the only thing that can get in my way, I would think. The laws (of average) would say at same point he will, but if he has perfect reliability through the rest of year, he has perfect reliability and I can just do my best."

"He plays to the gallery a little bit, doesn't he," said world champion Damon Hill, in a masterpiece of understatement. "He's making it sound like he had a down on power engine but when we spoke to Toto he absolutely denied that.

"If there was a disadvantage it certainly wasn't that big a disadvantage. He's got an advantage in that he's definitely quicker, in a straight fight he's quicker. He had a perfect weekend, he did a good job this weekend."

All of which makes this old clip from Messrs Fry and Laurie circa 1995 joyously relevant.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by f1fan, 28/10/2016 13:41

"Stop whining Lewis, concentrate and get the job done."

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2. Posted by Jonno, 25/10/2016 19:54

"I think I'll make a list of Sunday's drivers who didn't find something to moan about.

Rosberg
Er
Um
??

And there we have it until the next race.

"

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3. Posted by Kkiirmki, 25/10/2016 4:36

"So true; Fry & Laurie, brilliant!"

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Hamilton playing to the gallery?

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