Hamilton: “I’ve had a target on my back since I was 10 years old”

Lewis Hamilton has said that he has had a “target on my back” since he won his first championship at the age of 10 and that it is “nothing new” as he looks to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of seven World Championships.

The Mercedes driver has won five of the past six titles amongst the Silver Arrows dominance of the hybrid era and is in a position to equal and break legend Schumacher’s records.
 
The Briton can equal his tally of seven World Championships and break the German’s victory count of 91, where Hamilton sits only seven behind.
 
But 2020 could be the 35-year old’s most challenging season yet with teams expected to perform similar to the end of the previous year due to stable regulations.
 
Hamilton isn’t too concerned though.
 
“I've had a target on my back since the day I won my first championship when I was 10 years old so it's nothing new to me,” he said.
 
“I've always been the only black driver there, I've always been generally at the front of the championships, so it's no different to any of the other 27 years of driving – so I'm quite comfortable in that space.”

Some of opposition that Hamilton face come in the shape of Red Bull Racing and Ferrari youngsters Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc who have more than proved they can challenge when capable.

“It's also a positive when people are targeting you and looking to try and beat you because you want everyone to bring their ‘A-Game’, so if we do manage to pull it off and finish ahead, it feels even better,” he added.