Having enjoyed his best opening 12 races, Lewis Hamilton is in position to seal his sixth world championship with his most successful season. That the title, which will move him above Juan Manuel Fangio and behind only Michael Schumacher, is in his grasp is beyond doubt. He has already won eight races, to lead his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas by 62 points, and Hamilton usually only improves on the run-in. Last year he won four of the first five races after the summer break; nine races remain, starting with this weekend’s Belgian grand prix, and with four more victories he will have surpassed his previous best of 11 in a season. Hamilton has been explicit in insisting he is taking nothing for granted yet he is in the form of his life and motivated as never before. Closing out the championship by leaving the opposition scattered and reeling will be his target as Schumacher’s record seven titles looks eminently reachable next season.
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