Lewis Hamilton is hopeful that the extended 2020 race calendar can enable Max Verstappen and Red Bull to close the gap in the title race.
Hamilton is 37 points clear of his closest rival, Verstappen, in the drivers’ standings with four race wins to the Dutchman’s one.
But the Briton is adamant he does not want to race away with a record-equalling title number seven and is hopeful the recently extended F1 season will help his rival’s cause.
A first Turkish Grand Prix in nine years, a Bahrain double header and an Abu Dhabi Grand Prix were this week added to the calendar taking it to 17 grands prix.
And Hamilton said ahead of Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix: “I’m grateful for the fact we have so many races being set up because I want it to be a championship.
“I want it to be a fight. If you look at the success and progress Red Bull have made over the years, they usually get stronger through the season, so hopefully it will become a closer fight as we get through.”
Hamilton and Mercedes have dominated qualifying so far to date in the revised 2020 season but Red Bull – and Verstappen especially – have capitalised on any Mercedes setbacks, in particular in denying Hamilton a second Silverstone win at that double header.
“If you take the first race away from Max having the DNF,” said Hamilton, “I think if you look at the results we’ve been very, very close in the points still.
“And obviously Red Bull have very strong results and are getting closer in races. We’re not even halfway through the season and so I absolutely keep my eye on them. I think they are still a title runner and so we need to stay on our toes.”
