Lewis Hamilton sees plans wrecked by Sebastian Vettel as Mercedes man is beaten by Ferrari rival in Australia
Mercedes driver - eating a pear at the post-race press conference - paid the price for early pitstop in Melbourne
FORMULA ONE’S new dawn has gone all pear-shaped for Lewis Hamilton.
The Mercedes ace, who started the season-opener on pole, had to put on a brave face after Sebastian Vettel won the Australian Grand Prix.
Hamilton paid the price for his early pitstop at Melbourne’s Albert Park — a decision made between himself and the team on the pitwall.
The three-time world champion, 32, who came into the debrief room eating a pear, said: “We had a really good start, which is fantastic, but after that I was struggling with the grip.
“Sebastian was able to always answer in terms of lap time — and the majority of the time do faster lap times. Then, towards the end, I got in a bit of traffic and the car started to overheat the tyres and I was struggling.
“I was sliding around so it was my call to pit because otherwise he probably would have come by anyway.
“Then I came in and obviously got stuck in traffic, which is unfortunate but that’s motor racing.”
Hamilton’s fears that this season’s new rules would threaten to disrupt his team’s strangle-hold on the sport appear to have been well founded.
Last year, Mercedes won 19 of the 21 grands prix, taking their tally to 51 wins in 59 races in this hybrid-turbo era.