Ferrari will be 'rapid' in Bahrain - Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton predicts Ferrari will be "rapid" at the Bahrain Grand Prix after losing out to Sebastian Vettel in the season-opener in Melbourne. The Scuderia outfoxed Mercedes under the Virtual Safety Car at Albert Park to secure a win forged in strategy for the second straight year in Australia.

Hamilton stormed to a record-breaking seventh pole position in Australia on Saturday, in a time of one minute 21.164 seconds, another new benchmark.

The champion looked well set for a simple win, until the Haas of Romain Grosjean pulled up after turn two, activating the VSC and giving Vettel a chance.

He took it with glee, turning P3 into a race lead that Hamilton was unable to take back over 20 laps of chasing.

Ferrari didn't look like being able to match Mercedes over the opening weekend on outright pace, but Hamilton expects them to continue to impress.

"There will be ups and downs," he said. "Ferrari are really quick on the straight. I think their performance is better than what it looked. They will be rapid in the next race.

"They are always good on hot circuits - even though it is night race it is tough on the tyres. I can tell you it's not going to be easy that's for sure and it's going to be close."

Hamilton was certain he delivered a performance worthy of winning, but suggested that he had held back in the opening stint, in which he maintained a healthy three-second gap to second-placed Kimi Raikkonen.

"I had extra tools. I could have been further ahead by the first pit stop," he added. "There were so many good things we could have done but if one thing is telling you one thing and you think you are doing it to the book and to within the limits, then there is nothing you can do.

"I feel like I was driving as good as ever and really happy with how I was driving. Anyway, I will take it on to the next race and apply it exactly the same as this weekend and try to grow within myself.

"Everyone in the team is feeling it but there is so much positivity to take forward with us. We still got second. It feels like a dark cloud but it's not. It is still a positive result. We have a great car, we are still the world champions and with a couple of adjustments we can win the next race."