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Lewis Hamilton gunning for British GP as he seeks a positive silver lining

Mercedes driver has fallen 29 points behind Nico Rosberg in title race

Lewis Hamilton says he is ‘gunning for Silverstone’ as he seeks to revitalise his faltering World Championship bid with victory at his home race this weekend.

Top of the standings at the start of May following his triumph at the Spanish GP, Hamilton has fallen a disconcerting 29 points behind team-mate, and solitary title rival, Nico Rosberg after a triple whammy of disappointments in Monaco, Canada and Austria.

The cumulative effect has left Hamilton with no room for error as he prepares for the British GP at Silverstone, a circuit where he last won in 2008 after being denied victory twelve months ago when his Pirelli tyre spectacularly exploded. Rosberg was the fortunate beneficiary that day – an outcome that Hamilton cannot countenance this year.

“I’m definitely gunning for Silverstone,” Hamilton told The Guardian. “Last year I was more hopeful than ever since I won at Silverstone.

“It was definitely gutting to not win, to not bring it home for the country and for the fans, although I came through from last to fourth. We have another chance this year and I’ll be doing absolutely everything to make sure we’re in front.”

Nor is Hamilton willing to countenance the possibility of failing to land his second World Championship this year in a car that is head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Installed as the favourite to prevail after the opening test of the winter when Mercedes were revealed to have usurped Red Bull as the sport's pre-eminent force, Hamilton is not yet prepared to contemplate being beaten by Rosberg to the title.

“That’s not really something I want to think about,” Hamilton said. “Why would I even consider it? It’s all about positive energy. I’m going to get up and I’m going to train and get to that race next week and be P1, P1, P1. Positive thoughts create positive actions.”

More from British Gp 2014

But actions speak louder than words and what Hamilton needs now is the silver lining of a positive result on Sunday.

Watch the 2014 British GP live on Sky Sports F1. Extensive coverage of the Silverstone race weekend begins with Friday Practice from 9.45am on July 4.

British GP tv times

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