DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM
Lewis Hamilton - "Testing was just incredible - the best I can remember in my career. The car feels even better than last year's from both a performance and reliability perspective, which is saying something. It's all so refined in every area and we can be really proud of what we've achieved over the winter.
I was at the factory last week and it was humbling to stand in front of everyone that has worked so hard to get us to this point. I've been with this team for four years now and, despite all the success, everyone just keeps raising the bar every season, which is super impressive. I know that the guys and girls will keep pushing for more top results, so it's up to us drivers to go out there and nail it for them on track. People keep asking me about motivation - but I just have to look at the faces of all those people to know what I'm fighting for.
Together, we're always searching for perfection. But that target is always shifting and you're constantly faced with new challenges to reach it. Just as you think you're close, suddenly you fall further back - like someone dangling a carrot on a piece of string and whipping it away just as you reach for it. It's tough mentally - but that's a good thing, as it forces you to be resilient and seek improvement in every area. I know there's still more to come from me - I think I've shown that in the past two years. There certainly needs to be some extra in my tank, as the competition will be stronger than ever this year.
There are a few things that will make it even more challenging for all of us this season, too. The changes to the radio rules will have a big impact. The engineers now can't give you prompts or reminders that might affect performance during the race, so you have to remember so much more. This even applies to strategy, so when it's shifting throughout the race you won't be in the loop. It will be tough - but hopefully it will make for more exciting races.
Now we head to Melbourne and the first to chance to see how all this plays out on track. I can't wait to get started."
Nico Rosberg - "This is always a massively exciting time of year. Testing is important, of course. But what every driver really looks forward to is unleashing a new car flat out for the first time. I'm already itching to get back out there - getting to know our latest Silver Arrow and pushing on, making progress with it.
Limited testing gives everyone a big challenge, as you have to be efficient and make more of that time than anyone else. It's even tougher when you're the benchmark, as you need to invent while others can invent and copy. But we've done our homework and I think it looks set to be a good year again for us. The level of build quality in the car - how it all fits together and all the little details - is just awesome.
It's so impressive how the team keeps on pushing, aiming to be better all the time. Of course, we all know that Ferrari are right there with us and maybe some of the others will be up there too, so we have to keep pushing. But it's good to have that competition. With the team we have I believe we can keep them behind.
I'm really hoping to bring back a couple of wins from the first flyaways to reward everyone at the factories for their hard work. There's such a positive vibe in the team and everybody gets so excited. I know they'll be cheering us on at home every weekend, so it's our responsibility to deliver for them.
I've had a great winter and done a few things differently for this year. I've never felt more ready to go. It's going to be a great battle."
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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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