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 The 29-year-old Mercedes driver can become the first British
driver to win 10 races in a single season and join Nigel Mansell and
the late Jim Clark as the only Britons to win five races in
succession.
Another triumph at the Circuit of the Americas, where he won the
inaugural race in 2012, would also set him apart from his
compatriots with 32 victories -- one more than the record he
currently shares with 1992 champion Mansell.
But most important of all, Hamilton can land another big
psychological blow on German team mate and title rival Nico Rosberg
who is 17 points adrift with 100 still to be won from the last three
races.
Hamilton loves the Texas circuit, whereas Rosberg has mixed feelings
about it, and arrives with Mercedes on a high after wrapping up the
constructors' title in Sochi.
The intention is to turn the focus back to the track after a gloomy
week for the sport dominated by talk of financial crisis and teams
going into administration, while seriously injured French driver
Jules Bianchi is ever-present in everyone's thoughts.
"We still have three races left to decide the Drivers' Championship
-- starting in Austin, which is one of the best weekends of the
year," said the Briton this week.
"A lot of the American side of my family come to the race, plus I
won the first ever Formula One Grand Prix at the circuit back in
2012, so it's a special one for me.
"I really enjoy going there and I'm looking forward to another great
race -- hopefully ending up with another Stetson hat on the top step
of the podium."
Rosberg's record is less happy, with the German's best finish in
Austin a ninth place last year when Hamilton was fourth.
"It's still all to play for... and I won't be giving up the fight
until the flag drops in Abu Dhabi," he said. "Hopefully we can keep
the entertainment going right to the end for the fans out there
enjoying the contest."
DRIVER DUEL
With the constructors' title out of the way, the driver duel will
move up a gear even if mathematically it is still a three-way
battle.
Red Bull's Australian Daniel Ricciardo, the only driver other than
the Mercedes duo to win races this year, is 92 points adrift of
Hamilton but as good as ruled out.
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So too is quadruple world champion team mate Sebastian Vettel, last
year's race winner, who is in danger of collecting an engine penalty
that will see him starting from the pitlane in Austin.
"I think the reality is that Sebastian will take a sixth engine in
Austin because it's inevitable he's going to have to use it," team
principal Christian Horner said after Russia. "I don't think this
engine can really go too much further."
It could be that the German does very little mileage before the race
to save the new engine, something that makes him just as unhappy as
the fans will be.
"The rule is completely stupid," he said. "So the people turn on the
television and see a driver who just stands around and has nothing
to do."
Mercedes-powered Williams should be in the mix, however, with
Valtteri Bottas on a fine run of form.
At the back, there will be the empty spaces where Marussia and
Caterham usually line up after both teams went into administration
within the space of a week. That leaves just 18 cars, the smallest
number since 2005.
It also gives Sauber, who have yet to score this season, marginally
more of a chance of regaining ninth place from Marussia in what is
almost a home race for Mexican Esteban Gutierrez.
"I am looking forward to having great support from our fans there,
which gives me extra motivation," he said. "The track in Austin is
one of my favorites, I love driving there."
(Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
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