Lewis Hamilton insists he has no plans to concede a race victory to Mercedes Formuܫla 1 teammate Valtteri Bottas before the end of the 2018 season.

The recently-crowned five-time world champion revealed Mercedes’ decision to tell Bottas to give up his position🐈 while leading the Russian Grand Prix was “one of the most difficult moments” of his title-winning campaign.

Hamilton went on to seal the 2018 championship with two races to spare after a fourth-place finish in the Mexican Grand Prix, though he refuted suggestions Mercedes could ask him to return the favour to Bottas - who yet to win this year - now the drivers’🍷 title fight 🐬is wrapped up.

Asked if Mercedes will repeat its Sochi team orders call in eithe𒁃r of the remaining two races in Brazil or Abu Dhabi, Hamilton replied: “The team are not going to make that call.

“If ꦺI’m in that position - It’s not something I’ve asked Valtteri 🥀if he wants that - but I don’t think he’s going to want that. He’s going to want to win it in his own way.

“So I don’t know if I’ll be doing him any favours in the sense of giving him a win, I don’t think hꦗe needs that I think he thinks he can do it himself.

“All I can do is try and make sure I’m supportive throughout the process and the weekend. I’m always really open with my set-up, so I’ll contin꧑ue to do so.

"It would be great for Valtteri to finish on a strong note, feel better in the car and finish off strong," he added.&nb🍌sp;

"I think last year he finished off strong and that really set him up for the beginning of this year, which I think he started off strong again, so that is always naturally a good thing."

Hamilton heads into this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix having claimed just one previous win at the Interlagos circuit, which he achieve꧙d in 2016.

Prior to his vict🌳ory in 2016 Hamilton’s best result at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace had been consecutive second-place finishes behind then t✨eammate Nico Rosberg in 2015 and 2014, while a crash in qualifying last year forced him to start from the back of the grid.

The Briton said “lots of different circumstances” have played a role in him not taking more victories at what he described as a “difficult”ꦇ track, adding🍌 he is determined to increase his tally this year.

“I don’t really know why I’ve not won he𓆏re more. I can’t really explain. It’s a difficult track," he said.

“Ther💮e’s lots of different circumstances, I can’t really answer it but I’m grateful for the one win I have and naturally I want to win more.”