It is Lewis Hamilton's "killer instinct" that in 2016 will deliver championship victory to him for a third consecutive time.

That is the view of Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko, when asked to nominate a favourite in the increasingly two-horse title race between Hamilton and his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.

Another former F1 driver, Marc Surer, agrees.

"Lewis will be world champion this year for the fourth time," the German-language television pundit told Sport Bild magazine.

"When Nico was so many points ahead at the beginning of the season, many people wrote Hamilton off. But look at where he is now," Surer said.

"Nico is a perfect driver, but Hamilton is a fighter."

Briton Hamilton could fall behind Rosberg once again after the summer break, as he will take a grid penalty for using a sixth engine of the season.

But Red Bull's Marko thinks that after the nine remaining races of 2016, Hamilton will once again be champion.

"He has the killer instinct that Rosberg does not," he said, "and at the end of the year, that is what will make the difference."

(GMM)