Hamilton insisted he would have no problem playing catch-up with teammate Rosberg, who currently leads the championship standings of this season. PHOTO: AFP
Hamilton said his Mercedes, which took him to pole position at the Formula One season-opener but then lasted just a few laps of the race, was the strongest he had brought to tropical Malaysia's Sepang circuit.
"I've had some good results here but obviously I haven't won here,” said Hamilton, who was second in 2007 and finished third last year and the year before.
"The goal is obviously to win, but this is perhaps the year that I've had the best car to be able to do so. So I'm hoping that we have a chance to capitalise on that."
The 2008 world champion was the prime performer in pre-season and he was runaway favourite to win in Australia after snatching a thrilling pole position at Melbourne's Albert Park.
But a misfiring cylinder ended Hamilton's race within minutes as Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg flew to a commanding win 25 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger.
Rosberg now finds himself in the novel position of leading the championship standings, and he said he was more than happy with Formula One's new era following a raft of technical changes.
"It's changed around the pecking order,” said the German. “That is definitely good for everybody because (with) the same guy winning last year, we needed a bit of a change to that, so that's been good.”
Vettel unhappy with new sound
Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel slammed the new sound of Formula One and said this season's quiet, hybrid engines desperately needed a makeover to bring back some excitement.
"It's a major disappointment," said Vettel immediately, when asked what he thought about the sound of the new engines. "I think we'll have to (change it)."
Vettel had plenty of time to listen to the engines, which have been compared to vacuum cleaners, when he retired early in Melbourne.
"I think Formula One has to be spectacular, and the sound is one of the most important things," added the 26-year-old.
"I remember when I was a small child how loud the cars were, the whole ground used to vibrate. It's just a shame that we don't have that anymore."
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2014.
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