Unusually, Las Vegas has seen its fair share of rain on the day given over to the drivers’ media commitments in the paddock. Lewis Hamilton met journalists at the Scuderia Ferrari HP hospitality. “We are really all together. Everyone in the team is committed to playing their part” said the Brit, answering questions focused on what has happened since the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. “John and I we speak a lot and we have a great relationship. The passion has not disappeared from the team. We've obviously got a steep hill to climb, but we want to finish off strong this year.”

Maximum commitment. “This season has certainly been complex, with highs and lows” explained Lewis. “The people in the team put their heart and soul into what they do, and that gives me a huge boost as well. I think I’ve never spent as much time at a team’s headquarters as I have this year, because there’s so much to do, but also because I love immersing myself in the atmosphere in Maranello every time I sit down with the people who work in the factory. We’re working hard, there’s still a lot to do, but we’re heading in the right direction, every challenge is an opportunity.”

Threat of more rain. Looking ahead to this weekend’s race, it’s far from a straightforward prospect. “The main issue here is always getting the tyres to work properly. Track temperatures are among the lowest of the season, and grip is extremely low because the surface stays slippery all week,” Lewis explained. “If it rains, it’ll be really tough. Adding water to an already tricky grip situation would make things almost impossible. But it’s the same for everyone, and when conditions are that difficult, opportunities can also appear. Still, I think we’d all prefer to run in the dry…”