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The Formula One championship battle promises to be even more intense than normal this year, as both Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel start the 2018 season in Australia this weekend within touching distance of further greatness.
A fifth world title would move one of them level with the late Argentinian Juan Manuel ‘El Maestro’ Fangio and second only to legendary German Michael Schumacher’s seven.
Hamilton and Vettel share 109 victories (Hamilton 62, Vettel 47), 216 podiums (117-99) and 122 pole positions (72-50). Hamilton won his first title 10 years ago before Vettel won four-in-a-row from 2010-2013.
But Hamilton has dominated since joining Mercedes. Last year’s title was the British driver’s third in four seasons to level at four apiece with his Ferrari rival.
Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne will be Vettel’s 200th race and, fittingly, the German is seeking his 100th F1 podium. Hamilton, meanwhile, seeks a record-extending 73rd pole and a 63rd victory.
Matching Fangio, the daring driver who won his titles in the 1950s when racing circumstances were extremely challenging, will make one of them truly stand out.
“He was the best we’ve ever had in terms of putting it all together,” Vettel said of Fangio, while Hamilton described him as ‘the godfather of the sport’ driving in ‘the most dangerous period of time’.
F1 is far more safety-conscious these days, and risk-taking on the track has greatly diminished. Still, this did not stop Vettel and Hamilton clashing last season on more than one occasion. Gaining any sort of psychological advantage can prove important, considering they are hugely successful in their own right.
Hamilton said: “It gets harder and I love that challenge. I love that I’m faced with this huge mountain to climb again. I’ve got to work harder than I’ve done before. Physically I’m stronger, I’ve put on muscle. I feel very strong mentally too.”
Although Hamilton has yet to sign a new contract with Mercedes, fuelling talk he could walk away from F1 to pursue other interests at the end of the season, his hunger is still evident. Only Schumacher has more victories with 91.
Taking inspiration from veteran stars, such as 20-time Grand Slam tennis champion Roger Federer, helps Hamilton hit his targets. Persuading himself he’s the ‘best’ is an important part of that success.
“That’s what you have to think. I’m sure if you asked Federer, he will truly believe that if he’s trained hard and feeling great, there’s no one that can touch him,” Hamilton explained. “You have to be convinced that will be the case.
“I look at these greats who continue to break barriers within their own performance. I keep going back to Federer, but he’s back at the top. To have that drive: You’ve got family, you’ve got wealth, but still have that drive - maybe it is part of the mark of a great. It’s inspiring to see these iconic individuals continue to shine, and they’re inspiring.”
On the track, challenging Vettel will prove an arduous fight. The 30-year-old has a huge point to prove this year after the way he capitulated at the Singapore Grand Prix last year.
Vettel was only three points behind Hamilton in the championship with seven races remaining. But he crashed from pole position and the nightmare scenario saw Hamilton win the race. It was the turning point of the season and Vettel never recovered.
“I can’t wait to be in Australia,” Vettel said. “I have confidence in our car I have a lot of confidence in our team, I know how skilled and committed the guys are.”
As well as each other, Vettel and Hamilton - who won 14 of 20 races in 2017 - should also keep an eye on their wing mirrors this year.
Pre-season tests indicated Red Bull will be faster and more reliable this time round. Last season, drivers Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo failed to finish a total of 13 races between them, an alarmingly high total for the team which won four consecutive drivers and constructors’ titles in 2010-2013 with Vettel.
But crashes aside, Red Bull also won three races, as many as Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas in a quicker and more trustworthy car.
With extra speed and consistency, Red Bull could be challenging for victory in a lot more races. They have two hungry drivers jostling to be No 1 within their own team, which will add spice to the championship.
“Mercedes are probably just in front of us but Ferrari I’m not sure,” Ricciardo said. “But I think we’re going to be much closer than last year.”
There will be some new faces on the grid in Melbourne. F2 champion Charles Leclerc - a highly rated 20-year-old who came through Ferrari’s prestigious drivers’ academy - is racing for Sauber. Making his debut for Williams will be 22-year-old Russian driver Sergey Sirotkin.
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso will find out if it was worth his McLaren team, partly-owned by Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat, changing engines from struggling Honda to Renault. If the 36-year-old Spaniard fails to add to his 97 career podiums, the last of which was with Ferrari in 2014, this could well be his final year in F1.
The two-time F1 champion makes no secret of his ambition to win the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Le Mans 24 endurance race. In fact, he nearly quit last year after a terrible run of form with the team. He said: “I did think about the possibility of changing series and stopping F1. After I did the Indy 500 last year, when I came back there were a couple of races in Austria, Silverstone, when I thought, ‘maybe next year I could try a different series; I could do full commitment to the triple crown and do Indy and Le Mans and maybe that’s the best thing’.
“But I felt it was not the time for me to step out. Not right now, not after these results, not with this feeling. I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life and that I would have this bad taste for the rest of my racing career. So definitely I still want to succeed.
“There is unfinished business for me and McLaren together. And I think this year is the time all these things will change. I feel pretty sure about that.”
After the Australian opener the F1 party moves to Bahrain for Race 2 on April 8.
