Lewis Hamilton Indifferent About Brazilian Grand Prix Safety at Interlagos

World Champion Lewis Hamilton said he is “confident” the security around the Brazilian Grand Prix track has improved around for this year’s race at Interlagos.

Last year, Hamilton’s Mercedes team members were robbed at gunpoint while leaving the track, one out of a number of such incidents over the race weekend.

Hamilton said: “I have always been safe here in Brazil so I have not approached any races here with safety on my mind.

“But I am confident F1 and the teams have taken action after last year.”

The FIA, however, stated that a series of measures have been taken to ensure F1 personnel are at reduced risk when leaving the circuit, a time at which incidents have become increasingly common in recent years.

In 2010 former world champion Jenson Button was a victim of such incident, fortunately escaping from men wielding machine guns.

Some of the new measures include increased police numbers and better targeting of the times when the police presence is deployed.

“They took action to try and put things in place to improve it and I am assured,” Hamilton said. “I do feel confident it is improved. We don’t know what’s around the corner but I am hopeful of a positive weekend for everyone.”

Hamilton sealed his fifth title at the last race in Mexico. And like in previous years, when he clinched a championship before the end of the season, he fails to win another race, however, he says he is determined to break that pattern.

Mercedes are hoping to tie up the constructors’ championship this weekend after they fumbled at the US and Mexico races, which they can achieve as long as Ferrari do not outscore them by more than 12 points.