Knowing that the challenge would be huge, Hamilton announced last season that he would be leaving McLaren for Mercedes.
The Brit has said that he believes he wont be able to repeat what Rosberg did in 2012 win. However, the champion and runner-up last season, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, both believe he has what it takes. [LEFT_IMG=510919603cba7dabcff879b898026adeb0544381e0acc][/LEFT_IMG]
The 28 year old said: "I think that people are talking us up at the moment.
"Vettel and Fernando are saying that we're going to compete for the World Championship. I really don't see that happening.
"Of course that's our goal, but you've got to remember the car was over a second, sometimes two seconds, off last year.
"We haven't caught two seconds up and the other teams would have put another second on this year, so we've not gained three seconds. That's just a fact.
"Hopefully by the end of the year, we'll have gained three seconds - that's our goal. But definitely not at the beginning."
With lots of rain in Fridays pre-season testing session last week, and more on the way next week at the Circuit de Catalunya, Hamilton has realised he could be lucky if the conditions are bad.
"When it rains, it definitely makes it more of a lottery. We're working towards being quick in the dry.
"We don't want to have these days gifted to us where some people fall off and we happen to overtake them through luck.
"We want to do it through hard work, and that's what the guys are working towards."
Hamilton highlighted some of his W04's strengths and weaknessess saying the "engine is the strongest point, the downforce is the weakest point. Nice and easy.
"The downforce factor is what everybody's pushing massively hard for. The team won a race last year so they clearly have not such a bad foundation in terms of the mechanical side of the car. But in terms of downforce, that's where we need to improve."
Column: Hamilton: Mercedes won't win the title in 2013
- Published on 23 Feb 2013 23:13
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- By: Kenney Lybeer
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Driver profile
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- Country ES
- Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (45)
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- Weight 68 kg
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