Sebastian Vettel believes he will still secure the F1 2018 title despite his 24-point deficit to Lewis Hamilton, who is welcoming the added pressure.
A fascinating championship battle resumes this weekend at the Belgian GP as the season enters its final sprint, and Vettel is on the back foot after Hamilton's consecutive wins in Germany and Hungary prior to the summer break.
"The pressure on me is as great as it can be, but I wouldn't want it any other way," said Hamilton. "I welcome it."
Ferrari complete practice double
But Vettel, who would be leading the championship if he hadn't crashed out in Germany, told reporters: "We know that we are a little bit behind but I don't think it's anything we can't make up.
"I've been in a worst position in past years and still managed to turn it around by having the speed, so that will be the key."
Vettel has indeed recovered to win championships before, such as in 2012 when he trailed Fernando Alonso by 42 points at this stage.
But Hamilton is not entertaining the idea of letting this lead slip.
"My mental approach doesn't shift - extension is the only way," Hamilton insisted. "I don't want to lose the points I have.
"It's been back and forth, but I don't want it to go that way. How do I stop that? That's the question on the back of my mind.
"My approach is exactly the same. I don't sit here thinking I've got a one-race advantage in the sense that I can relax."
The reigning world champion continued: "We're fighting against Ferrari which is a historic team. They have not won a championship for a while and, whilst we have, we want to win equally as much if not more."
Both Vettel and Hamilton are boosted by new engines at Spa this weekend, and the iconic high-speed track gives both Ferrari and Mercedes a chance to compare their upgraded power.
And it was Ferrari who have laid down their marker ahead of Saturday's crucial qualifying, completing their first Friday practice double as Vettel, and then Kimi Raikkonen, topped the timesheets.
Hamilton was a tenth of a second off Raikkonen in Practice Two.
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