Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain (right) performs with Mexican wrestlers at the Coliseo Arena during a promotional event in Mexico City. F1 will return to Mexico at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City.

DPA
Mexico City

Lewis Hamilton has a hat-trick of sorts in mind in Mexico this weekend following wins in Russia and the United States.
“After the Ushanka-style hats we had on the podium in Russia and the Stetsons in America, I’m definitely hoping for a massive sombrero if I make it onto the podium,” the newly-crowned triple world champion said.
Having secured his third F1 title at Austin, Texas on Sunday with three races to go, the 30-year-old Briton heads to the high-altitude Mexican Grand Prix in a relaxed frame of mind. But there are still targets for the Mercedes man.
With 10 wins chalked up so far this season, including wins in the last three, Hamilton could still equal Sebastian Vettel’s single-season record of 13 victories set in 2013.
It will be the first Mexican Grand Prix on the Formula One calendar since 1992 when fellow Briton Nelson Mansell won. Formula One returns to a remodified Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which at more than 2,200m above sea level is easily the highest altitude venue on the F1 calendar.
“I can attack the final three races now with nothing to prove and nothing to lose, so the aim is absolutely to put my name down as the first Mexican Grand Prix winner of the modern era,” Hamilton said.
The race in Austin is “still all a bit of a blur” for Hamilton, who is looking forward to a new track and a noisy atmosphere at the Mexico City circuit.
“To be honest, it still hasn’t quite settled in. To match Ayrton (Senna) in winning three titles was always a big ambition of mine and it just doesn’t feel real,” he said.
Team-mate Nico Rosberg is meanwhile battling for second place with Ferrari’s Vettel in the drivers’ championship and says he regards the last three races as “a mini world championship.”
“The championship fight is over for me this year but I have three races left to make a big push, end this tough season on a high and make up for the disappointment of the past few races,” he said.
Formula One fans will be looking closely at the body language between the two Mercedes drivers after Rosberg threw a cap back at Hamilton following the US Grand Prix and was unhappy with Hamilton’s “extremely aggressive” overtaking manoeuvre on the first turn.
Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff has continued to play down the apparent animosity.
“A lot was said after the race about the relationship between our drivers and most of it was hot air,” he said.
“One of our boys won a world title on Sunday, and one lost it. If a few emotions boil over in that scenario, it’s completely understandable and human.”
The grand prix is a homecoming for Mexican driver Sergio Perez of Force India, who becomes the third Mexican to compete at a home race after Pedro Rodriguez and Moises Solana.
“Having the opportunity of driving in my home Grand Prix is something I never thought would happen,” said Perez, who was on the podium in Sochi and finished fifth in Austin.
“It will be one of the highlights of my career and I have no doubt that this race will become a modern classic of Formula One.”
The one concern remains the weather as the rain which badly affected practice and qualifying in Austin moves down to Mexico.
Pirelli have chosen medium and soft tyres for the race, with motorsport director Paul Hembery saying a new track needs a more conservative choice of compounds.
“As always, we are still aiming for two pit stops at the Mexican Grand Prix, but the uncertain weather that is affecting a large part of North America during the next week or so will clearly have a big influence,” he said.