Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton: is happy with the way off season testing went this winter and has predicted a good battle for the 2017 Formula One Championship crown.
Throughout the eight days teams were on track, both Ferrari and Red Bull showed some very powerful times and Lewis is convinced that they are still to show their true performance, especially Red Bull.
While he is aiming to secure his fourth world crown this season, the young Brit would rather doing it by winning a tight battle rather than by simply dominating, something he doesn't think his Mercedes team will do this year.
“It's been a busy winter for us. I don't remember how it was last year but this felt like a good couple of weeks. We're working together better than ever as a team and Valtteri has done great to blend in and do a solid job. We've had our up and down days with the car, learnt a lot from that and made plenty of changes. I'm happy with what we've gained knowledge-wise and feel confident we got everything we needed from this test to go out and fight in Melbourne,” he said.
“The others seem quick, so it looks like we have a good battle on our hands. Ferrari have been doing a fantastic job. I think there's more to come from them but their pace here has really been spectacular. I don't know if Red Bull had their full package here. Usually they bring that to the first race but they're definitely still up there and I expect a serious fight with both of those teams. I've never wished to dominate. Of course, I want a car that I can go out and fight for a Championship with - but for the fans it's best when there's multiple teams fighting for it.”
