Lewis Hamilton insists talk of him winning the title this weekend is "silly", despite it being mathematically possible for the first time this year.
Hamilton sits 59 points ahead of Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel who, thanks mainly to reliability issues, has dropped more than 56 points in the last three races alone.
The Mercedes driver therefore only needs to outscore Vettel by 16 points this weekend to ensure he claims a fourth championship, but the Briton thinks it's far too early to think about that given Vettel is unlikely to encounter further problems this weekend.
"He’s been a strong fighter all year,” said Hamilton. “Obviously he’s had a few issues technically but I think still the car is at good as it’s always been.
"For sure they’ll have some sort of upgrade coming this weekend. They’ve definitely had a couple of hiccups but I anticipate they’ll be very strong this weekend and for the last four races.
"That’s why nothing changes for me. I’ve still got to continue to put the pressure on. There’s no reason to back out, just keep pushing forwards."
Asked about the title and whether winning it in Austin is in the back of his mind, he added: "Honestly I think the talk of the championship win this weekend is silly really. You can’t expect them to have a difficult weekend again. They’re going to be quick.
"We’ve got an opportunity to win the championship, as long as it’s done in the next four races that’s my focus. I honestly couldn’t care whether it was here or the last race. As long as it’s done."
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