Lewis Hamilton has ramped up his rivalry with teammate Nico Rosberg by claiming he "blew him away" at Sepang on Sunday. The 2008 world champion comfortably won the Malaysian grand prix from pole, and although German Rosberg finished second in the sister Mercedes, Hamilton claimed it was one of the easiest triumphs of his eight-year career.
"It's massive. I don't remember the last time in my career I had a gap like that, particularly with a teammate driving the same car," said the Briton. Hamilton said he had built his advantage from the very start of the practice sessions, and "it worked and that is why I blew him away".
Rosberg won the season opener in Melbourne but only after Hamilton - again from pole - retired with an engine problem. "I'm pushing myself more than my teammate is pushing me. That's where the push is coming from," Hamilton said at Sepang late on Sunday. "Nico is very quick, he's won the first race, he's always there, so naturally we are pushing each other. But this year I'm pushing myself that extra. I'm eking out more than I've ever been able to eke out."
Jenson Button, a former teammate of Hamilton's at McLaren, thinks Sepang on Sunday was a psychological as well as an actual victory for the 28-year-old. "Looking at what Lewis did is going to hurt (Rosberg) a little bit. He was super-fast," he said. "That is a lot to put between you and your teammate when you have both had a clear race. I am sure that is strike one to him," Button added.
Former F1 driver and BBC pundit David Coulthard agrees: "If that was a pure driver-to-driver battle, then Nico psychologically will have taken a bit of a hit." Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda is quoted by Speed Week: "I have no idea why Nico could not drive at Lewis' level. But I am glad that they were not fighting with each other. Now we have to analyse what was the issue with Nico's car as it must be corrected and then we move to Bahrain." (GMM)
Hamilton claims he 'blew Rosberg away' in Malaysia
- Published on 31 Mar 2014 11:42
-
0
- By: Rob Veenstra
.
Trending news
-
Drivers' WhatsApp Group Has "Exploded" as GPDA Confirms Widespread Frustration With 2026 RulesThe discontent among Formula 1 drivers over the 2026 regulations is not a Max Verstappen problem. It is a paddock-wid...
03 Apr 2026 14:58 -
Reconstruction: Antonelli Is Creating a Verstappen-Style Culture Shock at MercedesFormula 1 appears to have a new prodigy. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has won his first two races in China and Japan, taken ...
03 Apr 2026 12:58 -
Argentina Is Seriously Pursuing a Return to the Formula 1 CalendarFranco Colapinto has done something for Argentine motorsport that no amount of marketing could replicate: he has made...
03 Apr 2026 11:56 -
Windsor Predicts Verstappen Will Leave F1: "The Rules Have Reduced Him to an Ordinary Driver"Peter Windsor has gone further than most analysts in his assessment of Max Verstappen's future. The veteran journ...
03 Apr 2026 13:57 -
Dutch Commentator Mol Proposes Specific Technical Changes to Fix the 2026 RulesThe criticism of the 2026 Formula 1 regulations is no longer just coming from drivers. Dutch F1 commentator Olav Mol ...
03 Apr 2026 10:54
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
-
Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
-
-
-
Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
-
-
-
Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
-
-
-
Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
-
-
-
Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
-
-
-
Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
-
-
-
Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
-
-
Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
-
-
Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
-
-
World Championship standings 2026
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Pos
Team
Points
Related news
Give your opinion!
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Driver profile
- Team McLaren
- Points 37
- Podiums 0
- Grand Prix 41
- Country United Kingdom
- Date of b. Jan 19 1980 (46)
- Place of b. Frome, Somerset, United Kingdom
- Weight 72 kg
- Length 1.82 m
- 67,065 comments on McLaren
23 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Jenson Button
Team profile
- Team name Mercedes
- Base Brackley, Germany
- Michael Schumacher 3
- Nico Rosberg 4
- Nico Rosberg 6
- Michael Schumacher 7
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 9
- Lewis Hamilton 10
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli 12
- Lewis Hamilton 44
- George Russell 63
- Valtteri Bottas 77
- 632,743 comments on Mercedes
- 59 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Mercedes
Replies (0)
Login to reply