Lewis Hamilton has one weakness…and this is how I exploited it – Nico Rosberg

Hamilton won his eighth Grand Prix of the season after Sebastian Vettel’s engine failure gave him the chance to stretch the gap at the top of the F1 World Drivers’ Championship to 59 points in Japan.

But Rosberg, who beat Hamilton to the title last year before retiring, believes the Brit is far from flawless.

“A little bit of a weakness is some ups and downs,” Rosberg told Sky Sports.

“Not quite 100 per cent consistency.

“Vettel has a clear edge in terms of consistency and maybe in terms of race speed, ever so slightly.”

Hamilton could now seal his fourth world title if he wins the US Grand Prix in two weeks’ time and Vettel finishes outside the top five.

But the damage was really done in the last three races – of which Vettel has only finished one, a fourth place in Malaysia.

Rosberg also struck a decisive blow in the title race in Japan last year, but today revealed that a controversial storm over Hamilton playing around on social media during an official press conference was pivotal.

“It took a press conference that Lewis did to put him off a little bit,” Rosberg added.

“That gave me the win here last year.

“It unsettled his weekend a little bit and caused such a stir around him. He had a couple of mistakes, for example at the start, and that lost him the race.

“As a result I was able to pull away.

“Mentally we [drivers] are completely on the edge.

“The intensity is so extreme and for these two guys it’s the championship that is on the line.

“Every little thing can tip it one way or the other.”