MELBOURNE: The first instalment of what Formula 1 fans hope will be a genuine season-long tussle kicks off on Sunday as four-time champions Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel lock horns at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
This year marks the first that two quadruple champions are competing in the same season and their battle to see who joins Argentine legend Juan Manuel Fangio in second place on the all-time list with five titles promises to light up the series. Michael Schumacher leads the way on seven world titles.
Hamilton emerged well on top for Mercedes at the end of 2017 after Ferrari鈥檚 Vettel made the early running, but their rivalry added plenty of spice, the pair banging wheels on the track in Azerbaijan and exchanging threats off it.
Hopes are high for more tense duelling to spark interest in a championship that has generally proved a procession for the Silver Arrows, who have swept the drivers鈥� and constructors championships in each of the past four years.
This year marks the first that two quadruple champions are competing in the same season and their battle to see who joins Argentine legend Juan Manuel Fangio in second place on the all-time list with five titles promises to light up the series.
Michael Schumacher leads the way on seven world titles.
Hamilton emerged well on top for Mercedes at the end of 2017 after Ferrari鈥檚 Vettel made the early running, but their rivalry added plenty of spice, the pair banging wheels on the track in Azerbaijan and exchanging threats off it.
Hopes are high for more tense duelling to spark interest in a championship that has generally proved a procession for the Silver Arrows, who have swept the drivers鈥� and constructors championships in each of the past four years.
Lap times at testing can be misleading but there remains a conviction that Mercedes will head into Sunday鈥檚 race at Albert Park, as always, the team to beat.
鈥淲e know that Mercedes is a little bit ahead of everyone and is dominating the sport for the last four years,鈥� McLaren鈥檚 two-time world champion Fernando Alonso told Reuters on Wednesday.
鈥淎nd they are the big favorites again to start the new season.鈥�
Mercedes are eager to see what the W09 can do at the lakeside circuit in Melbourne, with technical director James Allison saying it would 鈥渂low away鈥� the W08 which sped away to 12 race wins in 2017 and a fourth consecutive constructors鈥� title.
Hamilton, however, was guarded about their opening weekend prospects, believing Red Bull could be as much a threat to the Silver Arrows as Ferrari.
鈥淚 think at this time of the year everyone is trying to hype someone else up and we are the perfect target because we are the world champions,鈥� the Briton said at a Melbourne event with sponsor Petronas on Wednesday.
鈥淔rom what I understand, I think Red Bull and Ferrari are very close. Potentially we are either level, just behind or maybe just ahead of the Red Bulls as far as I鈥檓 aware.鈥�
Ferrari have kept a low profile in the lead-up to the race but home hope and Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo emerged on Wednesday to express hope for a 鈥渟tatement鈥� performance.
鈥淓very year, the team works hard to build a fast car but, come testing, we鈥檝e never really had much to show for it,鈥� the Australian told reporters.
鈥淭his year, we obviously had a bit more so, from a team perspective, we鈥檙e feeling much more prepared.鈥�
There will be fingers crossed in the McLaren garage as Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne put the new Renault-powered car through its paces, the once formidable outfit having split with Honda after three miserable years.
Albert Park will see a number of debuts, with Formula 2鈥檚 Monegasque champion Charles Leclerc and Russian Sergey Sirotkin having their first races for Sauber and Williams respectively.
The much-maligned halo, a cockpit head protection system, will also make its race debut along with 鈥楪rid Kids鈥�, aspiring young drivers who have replaced the female models who paraded on track in seasons past.
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel battle could spell end of Mercedes鈥� F1 procession
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