Hamilton hopes to battle Bottas after losing pole

Lewis Hamilton says he’s hoping the 2017 Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi doesn’t turn into “a train” as he wants a fight against Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas after seeing the Finn grab pole position.

Despite leading during free practice Hamilton conceded the cooler conditions for qualifying disturbed his balance in his Mercedes which let team-mate Bottas storm to his fourth pole position of the season by 0.172s – one the Finnish driver is determined to convert to a win after missing out to Sebastian Vettel in Brazil in the last race.

But Hamilton is eager to take on his team-mate for victory as he prays for tyre “degradation or pit stops” to provide him opportunities to take on his fellow Mercedes driver at the Yas Marina circuit.

“What a lap, he just had an incredible qualifying and congratulations to him,” Hamilton said. “The last qualifying of the year I gave it everything but I seem to lost a little bit of pace going into qualifying, Valtteri did an exceptional job, so I’m really happy for him.

“I think I was up one-tenth and a half out of turn one and then lost it in turn five or six. Either way it has been an incredible year of qualifying and one I’ve really enjoyed.

“Practice had gone well this morning and I was really comfortable with the car. The track gets cooler from the afternoon so you make some changes to counteract that and I went too far with it. I struggled with the balance and I was giving it everything but I was fighting the car the whole time, she wasn’t too happy today.

“Naturally we’ll try to have a race tomorrow I just hope it isn’t like a train tomorrow. I hope it is a battle tomorrow whether it is through degradation or pit stops or whatever.”

Hamilton voiced his target of securing race wins to end his 2017 on a high after sealing the F1 world title with two rounds to spare in Mexico, but after his qualifying crash in Brazil and losing to Bottas for pole in Abu Dhabi the newly-crowned four-time world champion as it all to do for his first victory since the United States Grand Prix.