Hamilton doing a good job, says Vettel

Sebastian Vettel says Lewis Hamilton is doing a "good job" for Mercedes in 2018, despite the reigning world champion failing to win a race so far in 2018. Vettel leads Hamilton by nine points in the drivers' standings after winning in Australia and Bahrain.

The Silver Arrows have not been at their dominant best so far this season, leaving them without a win in three races - their worst drought of the hybrid era.

Hamilton had a sure victory taken away from him by Vettel under the Virtual Safety Car in Melbourne, but has been outperformed by team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the last two races.

Although Vettel has stolen a march on his rival this year, the German does not see any reason to believe that Hamilton's powers are waning.

"We've not had that many races but I think he's been as usual," Vettel said. "He's doing a very good job.

"Obviously Australia was his weekend but it ended up a bit different. Bahrain was ours. China, I'm not sure whose it was.

"I'm not looking at one guy that close or closer than others. I guess he's doing a good job, otherwise he wouldn't be as successful as he's been last years.

"I hope to be number one challenger to whoever but it's a long year and at the moment it's looking good, but it doesn't mean anything, because it matters in the last three races, not the first three races."

There will be an extra layer on intrigue ahead of this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Vettel and Hamilton return to Baku for the first time since the Ferrari man banged wheels with the Mercedes in last year's race.