Lewis Hamilton plays down fear of double points in US

Lewis Hamilton is determined not to let the spectre of double points on offer in the final grand prix impact on his mindset over the final few weeks of the season.

Hamilton heads into this weekend's race in the United States with a 17-point cushion over Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg following a storming run of four successive victories.

But despite all of Hamilton’s hard work to close the gap of 29 points he faced following his collision with Rosberg in Belgium that forced him out of the race, it could be undone in one fell swoop next month.

Spearhead

With 50 points to the winner in

Abu Dhabi

, Hamilton could spearhead one-two finishes at the next two races to take a lead of 31 points, win 11 of the 19 races this year, yet still lose out to Rosberg.

Asked whether he felt the new regulation for this year was fair, the 29-year-old replied: “I think the question is ‘what is fair?’

“This is the rule they have brought in for the first time; do I really agree with it? I don’t know if any of us agree with it or do not agree with it.

“But it is the way it is and you just have to deal with it and hope for the best really.

“It (losing the title to double points) would suck if that was the case — big time — but I’m not even going to put that negative energy out there.

“I’m just going to try to do the best job I can with the car I have and what will be will be.”

When it was suggested to Hamilton the rule should be scrapped for next year, he concurred, adding: “For the future, I wouldn’t perhaps advise it for the following years, but . . .”

After suffering a number of technical issues this season that have compromised his championship chances, the question is who or what poses the bigger threat to him winning his second crown — Rosberg or unreliability?

“It’s a good question. I don’t know. They are both relatively decent threats,” said Hamilton.

“But the guys have worked very hard to eradicate those so I hope we can go through these next races together as a team without any of those issues.”

Downfall

Meanwhile, The FIA has again questioned the financial “failings” of

Formula One

following the downfall over the past week of Marussia and Caterham.

Earlier this season FIA president Jean Todt’s plan to introduce a budget cap for 2015 was torpedoed by the major marques.

Despite an indication the teams were willing to finally accept a cost cap – after a 2009 proposal under former FIA president Max Mosley was also rejected – it was ultimately thrown out to Todt’s fury.

Now, in the words of Mosley earlier this week “the chickens have come to roost”, with the financial unsustainability of running a Formula One team leading to Caterham and Marussia entering administration.

Offering a clear indication the situation has to change, the FIA has vowed to pursue a situation where the gap between the haves and have-nots closes.

“Looking beyond the end of the 2014 season, these failings again acutely raise the question of the economic balance of the FIA Formula One Championship and justify the position, expressed many times by the FIA, in favour of any initiative that will help reduce costs in order to ensure the survival of the existing grid or attract potential new entrants,” and FIA statement said.

“As such, the FIA . . . will continue to work towards maintaining the attraction of the championship and the equitable participation of the teams in it in the years to come.”