Lewis Hamilton insists his bid for a record-breaking eighth world championship will not be derailed by long Covid-19.

The Mercedes driver, 36, was forced to seek medical attention after feeling dizzy in the aftermath of his frenetic drive from last to third at the concluding round before the summer break in Hungary nearly four weeks ago.

Hamilton subsequently revealed he is suffering with the effects of coronavirus which he contracted last December.

But speaking as the sport roars back to life in Belgium, Hamilton, who holds an eight-point advantage over Red Bull rival Max Verstappen, said: "It is not a concern for me.

"I spent the break making sure I am in the best shape and I do feel like I am in better shape moving into the second half of the season.

"I stress the importance of staying safe because we are in this pandemic. As you move around, you see people relaxing more and more but the virus is still around.

"But I will continue to be focused on my health and continue to make sure I get stronger throughout the year."

Mercedes junior driver Russell, 23, who scored his first points for Williams in Hungary, said: "Obviously, there have been discussions over the summer break.

"Whether it is announced tomorrow or after the final round in Abu Dhabi, you have to trust the people looking after you, and I trust Mercedes to look after my future, one way or the other.

"Any driver wants to go against the best and Lewis is the greatest of all time.

"It would be an honour to get that opportunity. If I could choose to race against anybody as my team-mate, Lewis would be the one."