Lewis Hamilton says it feels like he is still chasing Nico Rosberg in the 2016 title fight despite leading the drivers' standings heading into this weekend's German Grand Prix.
Hamilton has taken five wins in the last six races and is six points ahead of Rosberg in the championship standings. Despite a 49-point swing in his favour since the Mercedes drivers collided on the first lap of May's Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton remains wary about the strong likelihood that he will have to take engine penalties at some stage during the remainder of 2016.
"I feel like I'm still chasing," said Hamilton. "I've got less engines, so I know that I've still got a steep hill ahead of me and whilst I'm ahead I'm not really ahead, because I'm going to start last somewhere, at least in one race I will have to start last, so I'm actually still behind but very close."
The three-time world champion played down the significance of potentially taking a points lead into the summer break but says he is as determined as ever to win at Hockenheim.
"Personally I don't think it is really that important, for sure entering the summer break not 43 points behind is important but it doesn't really make... People are asking how it feels this weekend, it doesn't feel any different. I want to win this weekend just as much as I wanted to win last weekend.
"If anything I want to win more than I did last weekend because last weekend was a pretty s--- weekend in general, in terms of performance and I want to improve on that. I know I can because I did it in Silverstone, I did it in previous races, so that's my intention and goal this weekend."
When asked if he believes if there are any differences in the way that he and Rosberg are able to bounce back from adversity, Hamilton said: "I don't think so. I think Nico has been driving just as well as he has all year, it's just I haven't had any problems in the car in the last six races.
"Apart from one weekend where Saturday wasn't good for me and [in] the race we had the problem with the car but otherwise I've been driving exactly the same as I had in the previous part of the year, just not had a gearbox failure or engine problems, which has been nice."