Lewis Hamilton vows to create history with Mercedes after strong start to the season
Lewis Hamilton is determined to’ create history’ again this Formula One season after insisting there is more to come despite a perfect start to the new year.
Reigning world champion Hamilton claimed pole, fastest lap and race win in the opening grand prix of the campaign in Australia earlier this month.
With team-mate Nico Rosberg second it was abundantly clear Mercedes will take some stopping again this term following a dominant 2014.
Mercedes set a new record for victories in a season with 16 from the 19 races, surpassing the prior mark of 15 set by McLaren in 1988 and Ferrari in 2002 and again in 2004.
The German manufacturing giant also equalled Red Bull’s 2011 record of 18 poles for the year, with their only blip in Austria where both Hamilton and Rosberg made errors to let in Williams’ Felipe Massa.
The worry for Mercedes’ rivals this year is the team appear to have taken a step forward, with Hamilton showing no let up in his desire to make it three world titles.
‘In terms of my performance I’ve got more to come,’ said Hamilton ahead of this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix.
‘I’ve been spending time with the engineers and I’m going to work really hard to understand.
‘Last year when I went to Malaysia I went fresh. It was like my first race of the year.
‘I went into the race not really knowing how long the tyres would last, but what happened turned out to be exceptional.
‘After that race there was this big debrief and a document done to explain everything I did.
‘Now I’ve won in Australia I’m going to extract everything from my data and see how I can better my performance. I definitely feel in this next race I can be better than I was last time out.’
Asked of Hamilton whether it was Mercedes’ target to win every race this season, he replied: ‘The target’s always been to win every race, even in the bad days.
‘But this year we have an awesome car with improved reliability, so the target is to create history again.’
Hamilton is aware, however, of the potential perils and pitfalls that lie ahead which could scupper such aspirations.
‘To pick up where we left off last year was awesome, but if 2014 showed us anything it’s that putting together a whole season is never easy,’ assessed Hamilton.
‘Winning the first race is just one small step in a long journey and I’m not reading anything into it.
‘The next step is Malaysia and that’s all I’ve been focusing on since we left Melbourne.
‘The race is really tough with the heat and humidity, but I feel ready for anything right now and the aim is to repeat last year’s performance.
‘It took me eight attempts to win this race before I finally made it to the top step last year. I don’t plan on waiting that long again.
‘From an outsider’s perspective it appeared Hamilton crucially drew first blood in what is expected to be another intense season-long battle with Rosberg.
Hamilton, though, suggested otherwise, stating: ‘Psychologically it doesn’t make any difference for me.
‘I won the championship again last year, and I felt like it wasn’t a fluke. I’m deserving of where I am.
‘And I worked damn hard to get that win in Australia. Again there wasn’t any luck involved.
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Source: Dailymail.co.uk