Lewis Hamilton hopes that reliability issues do not become a defining factor in this year's championship fight and says the sport's current engine regulations are too harsh.
Hamilton came close to an engine failure at the last round in Canada as his Mercedes power unit overheated and experienced power dropouts during its seventh grand prix weekend of the season. Drivers have to make three engines last 21 races this year as part of regulations designed to save costs and are hit with grid penalties if they exceed their quota.
But with manufacturers spending more and more money on R&D to improve reliability, Hamilton is concerned the current regulations will only have a negative impact on the sport.