High-altitude chase won't make contenders vanish into thin air

MEXICO CITY - Lewis Hamilton faces a nerve-wracking scrap in Mexico's power-sapping altitude this weekend before completing the apparent formality of claiming his fifth Formula One world title.

Just a week after a tough loss in Texas, where a resurgent Ferrari out-performed them at the United States Grand Prix, Hamilton and Mercedes have licked their wounds in readiness for an even bigger test.

"We have a battle on our hands," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. "But it provides us with an opportunity to learn and come back stronger."