Hamilton ready to stop the rot in Shanghai

Lewis Hamilton is staring at the possibility of his title rival Sebastian Vettel achieving a hat-trick of wins just three races into the season.

The 33-year-old has won five races (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2017) at the Shanghai International Circuit.

“It’s always been a good track for me,” said Hamilton who will need a good result to close a 17 point gap between him and Vettel.

The British driver also has to overcome a tremendous statistic in order to win his fifth championship this season.

No driver has failed to lose a world title having won the first two races for over 35 years.

The last to do so was Alain Prost in 1982.

His boss Toto Wolff added: "It will swing from race track to race track.

"I think that's going to be the model of the season."