Hamilton will match Schumacher by 2020 - Mansell

Lewis Hamilton has been backed to match Michael Schumacher's record haul of Formula 1 titles by the end of his existing Mercedes contract by fellow British world champion Nigel Mansell. Hamilton stands on the brink of title number five at the United States Grand Prix.

With four wins on the bounce behind him, Hamilton will be crowned champion if he wins again at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday and rival Sebastian Vettel does not follow him home in second.

Further boosting Hamilton's hopes is a three-place grid penalty handed to the Ferrari man after a red-flag infraction in Friday practice.

Hamilton has another two years to run on the reported £50million-a-year deal he signed earlier this year and Mansell expects both to be successful.

"Lewis is on a crest of a wave and I predict that within the next couple of years he will get his seventh world championship," Mansell said.

"The confidence of winning puts you on another level, and if he keeps his desire I can't see anyone challenging him next season either."

Mansell has no doubt that Hamilton has earned a place among the greats of the sport, but points out that modern-day safety paints his achievements in a different light to those who went before him.

"Will Lewis go down as one of the greatest drivers of all time? Of course he will, and he should, but times are very different now," Mansell added.

"I broke my back three times, I broke my neck, and my feet were in bits.

"I believe the great drivers are those that competed with no seatbelts, no crash helmets, and if you were involved in an accident there was a 50-50 chance you would die."

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