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Lewis Hamilton: Baku clash shows Sebastian Vettel feeling pressure

Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes has taken encouragement from Sebastian Vettel's behaviour in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix because it shows his Formula 1 title rival and Ferrari are feeling the pressure.

Vettel was handed a 10-second stop-go penalty for acting in a potentially dangerous manner in Baku last weekend, having swerved into Hamilton while furious about the way the Mercedes driver had slowed behind the safety car.

Asked if he felt the incident showed Vettel is not as mentally strong as he had been portrayed, Hamilton replied: "Well I think that's been kind of obvious for some time.

"You look at last year and some of the things he's come and said on the radio, so we know how he can be.

"I honestly would never have thought that that would have happened [in Baku] but I think we as a team can only look at that as a positive for us.

"We've put a lot of pressure on Ferrari, he's under pressure and that's not a bad thing.

"That shows that often pressure can get to even some of the best of us."

Though the Baku incident was the first fractious moment in what had previously been a civilised title fight, Hamilton says he will not change his approach to racing Vettel and believes the championship can be settled in a fair way.

"This was not fair play," he said.

"It was obviously a different Sebastian from what we've seen in these eight races, and I like to think that I remain respectful and I will continue to do so.

"I want to do the talking on the track and I want to win this championship the right way."

Zdroj: autosport.com