Lewis Hamilton told assembled reporters in Singapore he “felt sorry for the fans” given there would be no season finale showdown. Yet Hamilton forgets he has driver for the most dominant team I Formula One history. Mercedes have won 8 consecutive drivers’ titles since 2014 and 7 drivers’ championships.

Lewis memory may be short due to disappointment he suffered at the 2021 season finale when a last lap shoot out saw his team’s strategy to leave him out on old tyres backfire. Verstappen passed him into the hairpin to go on and win the race.

Yet Lewis only other Mercedes last race decide was hist first drivers’ title for the Brackley team back in 2014. His team mate Nico Rosberg was 17 points behind Hamilton heading into the Abu Dhabi decider but suffered electric issues and fell through the field to finish outside the points.

Hamilton repeatedly wins early

Even that season, Hamilton was mathematically home and dry before the decider in the desert even began.

In 2015 Nico Rosberg suffered significantly more ‘no fault’ DNF’s than Hamilton and Lewis wrapped up the title at the fourth round from the end of the season.

In 2017/18/19 Hamilton again wrapped up the F1 drivers’ championship at the third last event of the year then in 2020 it was again the fourth event from the season finale.

Hamilton hypocritical

Hamilton was asked at the drivers’ press conference in Singapore:

“Lewis, Max has got his first chance of winning the title this weekend and given how exciting your battle with him was last year, how much of a shame was it for you that you didn’t get to have the rematch this season? And also, I guess for the sport, because it’s been quite one-sided season for fans watching.”

Hamilton replied, “From my point of view, I’m not really thinking much about it. Yeah, definitely, I feel for the fans because that’s for everyone and even for us, last year, going right down to the wire, that was intense for everybody.

“So it’s never great when the season finishes early, even when I’ve experienced having it finish early, in places like Mexico. For you as the one individual it’s great, but for the actual sport is not spectacular. 

“So I’m really grateful to have had it like 2008, right down to the last 17 seconds, and obviously last year pretty much the same thing. So yeah, let’s hope for the future that it’s a bit better.”

Verstappen not even home and dry

Of course Max Verstappen is unlikely to wrap up the 2022 drivers’ title this weekend. He would need to win the race with the point for fastest lap and Charles LeClerc to finish P8 or lower.

Verstappen may not even win it in Japan if the lead Ferrari driver goes well in Singapore and Japan. 

This would mean the Dutchman would almost definitely retain his title with just three events left to compete. Something Hamilton has done on more than one occasion.

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The notorious Singapore sling 🍸

A chicane that could make or break your race 😬#F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/LfLoIB1PnS

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 28, 2022