MELBOURNE, Australia, Mar 11 – Lewis Hamilton believes his all-conquering Mercedes is even better than last year as he begins his bid to equal Michael Schumacher’s record seven world titles at an Australian Grand Prix given the green light despite rising coronavirus fears.

The British driver has been the dominant force in recent times, winning five of the last six drivers’ championships, including in 2019 when he passed legendary five-time Argentine champion Juan Manuel Fangio on the all-time list.

“It’s been intense, with a huge amount of work from everybody at the track and back home at the factories,” the 35-year-old said of preparations overshadowed by concerns about the virus and its impact on the sport.

“The car’s feeling like a step forward from last year,” Hamilton added after pre-season testing.

“But it’s clear we’ve still got a few issues we need to iron out,” said the driver who won 11 of last season’s 21 grands prix.

There were fears the Melbourne race may be ditched due to travel restrictions affecting team personnel, particularly from Italy-based Ferrari.

On Wednesday, two Haas team staff and one from McLaren were isolated while tests are conducted to see if they have coronavirus after they showed symptoms at the track.

“We expect to receive the results overnight. The team is operating as per our normal schedule,” a McLaren official said.

It is not clear what it might mean for the grand prix if the test results come back positive.

F1, like many other sports, is already reeling from COVID-19 with next week’s Bahrain Grand Prix set to be held behind closed doors, and the Chinese Grand Prix in April postponed.

– ‘I can beat anyone’ –

Mercedes head into the race with a new dual-axis steering system (DAS), which has inevitably sparked complaints from other teams over whether it is legal.

While Hamilton has taken every pole at Albert Park since 2014, he has won just once in that time, and it was teammate Valtteri Bottas who sizzled at pre-season testing.

The Finn will be looking for a second successive win in Australia after sweeping to an emphatic victory last year, a massive 20.9 seconds ahead of Hamilton.

“On a good day, when I get 100 percent out of myself, I feel I can beat anyone. But how to be there at every race weekend -– that’s the tricky thing,” Bottas said.

So dominant were Mercedes in 2019 that Ferrari had to wait until the 13th race at Belgium in September for their first win, courtesy of new boy Charles Leclerc.

Team principal Mattia Binotto said after testing that Ferrari’s new engine was “not as strong” as last year, bad news for the Scuderia as they chase a first drivers’ title since 2007.

But with Italy one of the countries worst-hit by the coronavirus, he wants Ferrari to “put a smile on people’s faces” this weekend.

“We know that the opposition is strong, but we also know that it is the start of a long season where development rate, reliability, and our operational effectiveness will be key,” he said.

Ferrari have a revamped engine after rivals last year expressed suspicions about their straight-line speed superiority, though a probe by governing body FIA was unable to prove the Maranello team had cheated.

Leclerc, 22, overshadowed teammate Sebastian Vettel in his debut season for Ferrari, with the German four-time world champion looking to reassert himself this year.

– Verstappen ‘ready’ –

Binotto insisted the two Ferrari drivers would start on an equal footing, a stance Vettel accepted after a 2019 season where he won only once, in Singapore.

“I don’t see Charles going up and me going down. We have the same car and, for me, it doesn’t change anything. That was also the case last season,” he said.

Leclerc won two races to beat Vettel to fourth place in the world championship by 24 points.

Dutchman Max Verstappen was third behind the two Mercedes drivers last year and could be one of Hamilton’s closest challengers in his Red Bull, which excelled in testing.

“I definitely feel ready for Melbourne,” said the 22-year-old, who won three races last year.

In the midfield, Renault, McLaren and Racing Point will all be looking to set down a season marker in Australia.

Canadian Nicholas Latifi is the only rookie on the grid, replacing Robert Kubica at Williams, while Esteban Ocon returns to F1 for Renault alongside Daniel Ricciardo.

(Visited 20 times, 20 visits today)

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Govt okays Sh332m for Kasarani renovations

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Spurs forced back to drawing board after UCL collapsern

rn rn rn rn rn 51 minutes ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Mbappe tests negative for coronavirus, could face Dortmundrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 3 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Tokyo 2020 organisers insist Olympics on despite virus ‘concern’rn

rn rn Gamern rn rn rn 4 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Honda backs Verstappen aim to make podium at every racern

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Hamilton chases Schumacher as virus overshadows F1 season startrn

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn rn 7 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Russia in World Athletics’ spotlight ahead of Olympicsrn

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn

• SportPesa announce change of its global sponsorships by ALEX ISABOKE NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 u2013 Hours after English Premier League…
• Rudisha to make Olympics decision by May by Timothy Olobulu Kenya's 800 metres world record holder and olympic champion David…
• Road closure for Sundayu2019s Beyond Zero Marathon revealed by Keziah Aoma AK President Rtd Gen Jackson Tuwei (Center) and Nairobi Traffic…
• KCB RFC winger Tony Onyango is dead by ALEX ISABOKE NAIROBI, Kenya, March 4 u2013 KCB Rugby Club winger Tony…
• Everton to terminate SportPesa contract by ALEX ISABOKE LONDON, United Kingdom, Feb 16 u2013 English Premier League side…

rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

German footballer contracts coronavirus as Bundesliga goes behind closed doors

rn rn rn rn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Spurs forced back to drawing board after UCL collapse

rn rn rn rn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Mbappe tests negative for coronavirus, could face Dortmund

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Tokyo 2020 organisers insist Olympics on despite virus ‘concern’

rn rn rn Gamern rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Honda backs Verstappen aim to make podium at every race

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?

ntt
• NO
ntt
• YES
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Hamilton chases Schumacher as virus overshadows F1 season start

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Russia in World Athletics’ spotlight ahead of Olympics

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Premier League has first postponement as Arsenal players quarantined

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Getafe refuse to travel to Italy for Inter Europa clash

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Sports bow to need for caution in face of coronavirus

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Govt okays Sh332m for Kasarani renovationsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn German footballer contracts coronavirus as Bundesliga goes behind closed doorsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Spurs forced back to drawing board after UCL collapsern rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Mbappe tests negative for coronavirus, could face Dortmundrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn ALEX ISABOKErn Capital FM seeded top for u2018Road to Anfieldu2019rn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn

• SportPesa announce change of its global sponsorships by ALEX ISABOKE NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 u2013 Hours after English Premier League…
• Rudisha to make Olympics decision by May by Timothy Olobulu Kenya's 800 metres world record holder and olympic champion David…
• Road closure for Sundayu2019s Beyond Zero Marathon revealed by Keziah Aoma AK President Rtd Gen Jackson Tuwei (Center) and Nairobi Traffic…
• KCB RFC winger Tony Onyango is dead by ALEX ISABOKE NAIROBI, Kenya, March 4 u2013 KCB Rugby Club winger Tony…
• Everton to terminate SportPesa contract by ALEX ISABOKE LONDON, United Kingdom, Feb 16 u2013 English Premier League side…

rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Govt okays Sh332m for Kasarani renovationsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn German footballer contracts coronavirus as Bundesliga goes behind closed doorsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Spurs forced back to drawing board after UCL collapsern rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Mbappe tests negative for coronavirus, could face Dortmundrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn ALEX ISABOKErn Capital FM seeded top for u2018Road to Anfieldu2019rn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 11th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */