Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari deserves success!

      Before the start of his 19th season in Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton is philosophical…

      Q: Lewis, everyone was talking about your move to Ferrari this winter. How do you feel now? Are these feelings any different from the first visit to Melbourne with McLaren in 2007 or with Mercedes in 2013?Lewis Hamilton: Good afternoon. Glad to see you all. Yes, I'm very, very lucky. I've had an amazing career. When I made my debut here at the wheel of a McLaren in 2007, it was an amazing feeling, and then I came here with a Mercedes - it was incredible. What is happening now is very similar to my first year. For many years I walked around the paddock and looked at the red boxes, and now I work in them myself. It's a very pleasant feeling.

      Question: What do you think about the new car? Is there a reason for optimism?Lewis Hamilton: Yes, I think so now, but we've only been working on the tests for three days, so it's hard to draw conclusions yet. Carlos was incredibly fast in the tests, and so was Kimi. It is difficult to understand who is where, but it is obvious that the fight will be intense.

      As for me, I'm looking forward to the start. It feels like the first Grand Prix. It's great that I have this opportunity, and I'm very grateful for it.

      Q: Lewis, you're smiling and you're wearing red, but every Ferrari driver feels the expectations and the pressure. Do you turn this pressure into motivation, so you look like you're enjoying every second?Lewis Hamilton: The first reason I smile is because of this young man. [he points to Kimi Antonelli sitting next to him] I'm happy for him, he's doing well. I know how many years of dedicated work it took him. He started even at a younger age than me. You're already 18, right? It's unbelievable!

      As for me, I don't feel much pressure. All these years I have been incredibly demanding of myself, and this internal pressure has always been the most serious for me, not the one from the outside.

      There is no pressure on me in the team. I know what I can bring and what I need for it. You just need to work. I approach this weekend with an open heart. The main thing is to get into a good rhythm.

      I'm still learning a new car, which is very different from the ones I've driven my entire career. Ferrari engines are something completely new to me. A different vibration, a different feeling, a different approach. The whole team works in a completely different way.

      You can say that everything has turned upside down compared to what I'm used to. You look at familiar things from a different perspective, and that makes them interesting and challenging. This is the most exciting period of my life. I really like it, I'm looking forward to getting behind the wheel tomorrow.

      Question: What will determine a successful season for you? What will help you feel that you have fulfilled your mission?Lewis Hamilton: When you join a new team, the sooner you can reach a high level and achieve results, the better. But a transitional period is inevitable. In the first half of the season, we need to lay the foundation and establish relationships with absolutely everyone in the team. Trust is not something that you just get – it is created over time. My goal is to win and lead the team forward. I've had some not-so-great years, and I'm trying to figure out if I can have a better year than the last three. Many factors can affect this.

      Q: What result will suit you this weekend?Lewis Hamilton: I hope to get into the top ten. I don't remember where I finished here last year. As I said, I don't have any expectations. In the end, I want to be sure that I have given absolutely all my strength, I have done everything I can. I don't know what that means in terms of results. We won't know where we are among the top teams until tomorrow. I hope we can compete for a place in the top five.

       Question: You said that one of the most exciting periods of your life is ahead. Can you compare this to how you felt in 2007, when you first started driving for McLaren?Lewis Hamilton: I don't have the best memory, but now I realize that I wasn't a mature person at the age of 22. Of course, I was good at piloting, I had natural abilities, but I didn't have a foothold, I didn't have a team. My father and my stepmother booked the tickets themselves to come here. By the way, they're here this weekend too.

      No one helped me. I often found myself in the depths and drowned many times. Now everything is different. I feel very comfortable right now. I know who I am. I know where I'm going. I know how much energy, time, and effort I need to put in.

      At the age of 22, none of this happened. I felt like I was on a roller coaster, and I'm incredibly grateful that I'm still here, that I have this opportunity. It bothers me that out of eight billion people, only 20 drivers compete in Formula 1. It's an incredible privilege to be here and be able to do what we do year after year.

      It's great to see how the audience is growing. To see how the sport is moving in the right direction. It's great that Stefano Domenicali stayed, because it's good to have a neutral, good leader at the helm. I think I'll leave it at that.

      Question: What surprised you about Charles when you started working together?Lewis Hamilton: What surprised me the most? Well, I would say work ethic. I didn't know, no one knows what happens behind closed doors. All racers work hard, but everyone has their own method of achieving maximum efficiency. And it was very interesting to watch it. He doesn't look much like me, but Charles is a hardworking guy who does his own thing.

      He's been on the team for a long time. This is his second team. The period in the first team was relatively short, and then he ended up at Ferrari. He belongs here. He's a real "Mr. Ferrari" and it's been great working alongside him. And I'm looking forward to working with him this year.

      Q: How does it feel to compete with the next generation of drivers who will take over the reins when you retire? Is there any additional motivation to compete with those who grew up like you?Lewis Hamilton: I don't feel like I'm competing with them. I remember starting out myself, I remember my excitement. I remember Michael driving in front, and I was like, "God, it's Michael Schumacher." It was very surreal.

      It's really hard to believe when you're growing up every day, every weekend, making bacon sarni, watching the Grand Prix and seeing how he's doing incredibly well on the track.

      So when I look at young people, I want to be sure that I'm setting a good example. I kind of want to protect them from everything they're going to experience, because the world is cruel and sometimes they just need time. Diamond cutting takes time. I hope they have this time and space to grow and be themselves. And there is no need to match, and there is no need to rush.

      Some riders come and they are immediately kicked out. They need to be given freedom of action and time to make mistakes, because we all make mistakes, but they make mistakes in front of the whole world. I hope that the press will be more gentle with the young. If anything, you can take it out on us, the older ones.

      Q: Lewis, everyone is looking forward to your debut driving a Ferrari. Do you feel like the world is looking at you in a way it hasn't looked at you before? And I know you said that you don't feel any pressure, but do you feel the weight of expectation from playing for the Scuderia?Lewis Hamilton: No, because it's not like that. I don't read the news, and I've been without social media for a long time. So I'm not bombarded with everything that's on social media. I kind of live in my own little world.

      Everything is back to normal for me now. I devote all my time to work, I work at the base four days a week. In winter, I had absolutely everything to train, to make my mind and body work even more actively than before, to squeeze more out of what I have.

      I didn't expect it to be easy. That's not so. But I don't feel any pressure from outside. My pressure comes from within, and I'm not going to prove anything to anyone. I don't feel like I have to do anything. I've been here for a very, very long time and I do it over and over again.

      As I said before, I know what it takes to do a good job, and that's what I want to do for myself, for myself and for my family, for this team that I believe really deserves to succeed.