Lewis Hamilton trusts the 2017 Formula 1 season could be “the most energizing” of his career. The Mercedes driver is tied on focuses with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel after his triumph in the Chinese Grand Prix. Hamilton anticipated the activity would swing forward and backward between the two teams all through the season. “It is close,” he said. “I am down for it. I am looking forward to the fight with Sebastian and the other guys are going to be in amongst it.”
Hamilton picked up the favorable position in China through early technique brings in a clamorous opening few laps yet the race inevitably refined to a fight amongst him and Vettel in the end laps, the two cars isolated by around eight seconds. The 32-year-old won two of his three titles in last-race confrontations, beating Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in 2008 just when he passed a car on the last corner of the last lap of the last race.
Hamilton said: “We are both pushing. It’s great, last 20 laps, exchanging times, he was closing the gap a little bit, but I managed to stay ahead.”
“It is going to be one of the closest ones – if not the closest – I have ever experienced,” he said.
The 32-year-old won two of his three titles in last-race confrontations, beating Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in 2008 just when he passed a car on the last corner of the last lap of the last race.
“It would be great news for us,” Vettel said. “They are the ones to beat, they have a very strong team, doing very well the last three years being flawless and smashing a lot of records.
“So for us it is really good news we had another race where we were really close and were able to put some pressure on.
“It is just race two. I really enjoyed it and at this point I don’t care about the rest of the year.”
