Hamilton wants to make title race 'painful' for rivals

Lewis Hamilton has insisted that he wants his rivals for the 2019 Formula 1 driver's championship to perform at their best this season, as if he defeats them when they are driving at the top of their game it will only make it more "painful".

The Brit is going for his sixth championship in 2019, and is currently two behind the record set by Michael Schumacher.

In 2018, he was involved in an entertaining duel with Sebastian Vettel in the title race, only for the Ferrari driver to lose ground after the summer as Hamilton eventually cruised to his fifth championship.

This campaign, he wants Vettel, and all his other rivals, to be at their best so he can inflict pain on them when he beats them.

"Each year the goal is to get better and - looking at our competitors out there - the more competition, the better," Hamilton responded when asked who he views as his rivals for 2019.

"You always want to be against the best while at your best because then when you beat them it is more painful for them and more enjoyable for you."

One more title win will move him clear of Juan Manuel Fangio and just one behind Schumacher, but Hamilton doesn't believe this will provide added pressure on him this season.

"I don't think it adds pressure, it doesn't really change anything to be honest," he added.

Testing, data gathering and preparing ???????? Looking forward to getting back out on the track @MercedesAMGF1 pic.twitter.com/SNHtwGk8UQ — Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) 18 February 2019

"Every year you reset, you re-evaluate and you set new goals. That is the same for all of us when you come to a new year, you set new heights and new targets.

"So it is pretty much the same as in recent years where we are out there to work cohesively and extract absolutely everything from ourselves as team and the car."

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