Lewis Hamilton will attempt to close the gap to Michael Schumacher at the top of the Formula One hierarchy as he bids to win his fifth Drivers' Championship in the 2018 campaign.

The Brit secured the fourth title of his career last season, putting on a strong surge in the second half of the term to pull away from Sebastian Vettel. Hamilton and his rival are level on four crowns, and their duel in the last campaign may have been era-defining as the Mercedes' driver erased the deficit. The 33-year-old now has his sights set on Schumacher's position at the top of the sport with seven Championships. Hamilton is backed in the latest F1 betting odds at 11/10 to win his second crown on the bounce and fourth in five years.

Only Nico Rosberg has stopped the Hamilton surge since the 2014 campaign. The Brit was in danger of losing pace with Vettel after the German enjoyed a run of four-straight crowns from 2010 to 2013. Vettel used the pace of his Red Bull to dominate the circuit, edging out the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso to claim narrow triumphs in the 2010 and 2012 seasons. However, his advantage over the rest of the field allowed him to canter to the Drivers' Championship in 2011 and 2013. Hamilton as well off the pace of the German during his stretch at the top, resulting in his departure from McClaren after the 2012 season. After earning a breakthrough in the 2008 term, the Brit had not been in contention, finishing no higher than fourth in the standings.

Changes in the revised engine formula in the 2014 campaign allowed Hamilton to regain his foothold. It was his turn to enjoy a run of success as he eased to the crown in 2014 and 2015, reeling off 21 victories in the two seasons as the Brit soared over his rivals. It was Vettel's turn to struggle, prompting his exit from Red Bull, although his move to Ferrari has not gone to plan. Hamilton and Rosberg duelled out an entertaining battle for the Drivers' Championship in 2016. However, the Brit was to rue retirements as he was narrowly beaten out by his teammate.

The 2017 campaign appeared to be in danger of being a one-man race for the crown as Rosberg retired leaving the inexperienced Valtteri Bottas to replace him at Mercedes. However, Ferrari rose to the challenge with the SF70H vehicle to put Hamilton and his team on the back foot. The German delivered a strong start to the campaign, but could not build a sizeable enough lead to put Hamilton under pressure. The 33-year-old won six of the remaining 11 races of the season after triumphing on home soil to claim his fourth crown.

Mercedes' slow start would have worried the team, but their dominance has not just been down to their drivers. The team responded and will surely put Hamilton in another strong position to maintain his imperious run at the top of the sport. It may be enough for the Brit to win again for the 2018 term and beyond to bring parity with Schumacher at the summit.