Sports42 FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2014

Hamilton rejects Mercedes ‘favourites’ tag

MELBOURNE: Mercedes driver Lewis race. But the 2008 champion is not sure fuel and new energy recovery systems felt better, it was nicer to drive and we had a Hamilton has played down his team’s Mercedes warrants all the hype as he pre- meant it was hard to say which car would lot more downforce and that was the car that “favourites” tag ahead of the season-opening pares for Friday’s opening practice sessions at come out on top. was in its fourth year of evolution,” he said. Australian Grand Prix Sunday, the Albert Park circuit. “All the media are talk- “It’s very technical this year. Everybody is “Now we are in a new phase and it’s saying technical changes make any predic- ing us up. Favourite driver, favourite team,” in the same boat,” the 29-year-old said. something that takes some time to get used tions worthless. Hamilton told reporters yesterday. “There are lots of us trying to find where the to.” Rosberg finished sixth in the overall The Briton and his teammate Nico “I just don’t know what’s going to hap- advantages can be.” Hamilton, who finished standings last year after winning at Rosberg have enjoyed the fastest times in off- pen this weekend,” he added. Hamilton said fourth in last season’s drivers championship, and Silverstone. Red Bull’s season testing, leading many to tip Mercedes a raft of significant rule changes including a added that he was still getting used to the won the drivers championship for the fourth as the car to beat going into the Melbourne return to turbocharged engines, a limit on setup of this year’s Mercedes. “Last year’s car year in a row. —AFP Massa keeping faith for Schumacher MELBOURNE: Felipe Massa remains hopeful his friend and for- mer team mate can pull out of an induced coma and return to health. The retired seven-times Formula One champion suffered severe head injuries when he slammed into a rock while skiing off-piste in the French Alps resort of Meribel in December, and has been in a stable but critical condition in a hospital in the French city of Grenoble since. Schumacher’s agent raised hope this week that the 45-year- old German might revive when she wrote of “small, encourag- ing signs” in his condition since doctors started lowering his sedation in January to wake him up from the induced coma. “I keep praying and believe that things can be okay for him and he’s coming back,” Massa told reporters at Albert Park yes- terday ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. “I always think about him every day, pray for him every day. “For sure it was a shame to see what’s happened, but I keep thinking about him. He’s on my helmet.” The 32-year-old Massa joined Ferrari as a in 2003 during Schumacher’s hey-day and after two seasons with Sauber returned to the team in 2006 for the German’s last sea- son at Maranello. Brazilian Massa spent several days in an induced coma in 2009 after being hit by a bouncing spring from another car and has led the tributes to Schumacher, the sport’s most successful MELBOURNE: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany holds his arms out as he walks around the paddock driver. ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday. —AP After eight years at Ferrari, largely overshadowed by twice world championship-winning team mate , Massa has been replaced by 2007 champion Kimi Raikonnen at Maranello and moved to Williams, where he will be expected to Embattled Vettel vows take a leading role ahead of 24-year-old Finn .

Motivated ‘maximum’ in record bid Despite coming off a wretched season in which they man- aged only five points and finished ninth in the constructors’ championship, a revamped Williams arrive at Albert Park more MELBOURNE: Red Bull ace Sebastien get for sure is to finish and to finish in great uncertainty before the season- confident after a good showing during pre-season testing. Vettel yesterday vowed to “push to the the best possible position. opener. “It’s very difficult to tell how “I feel the team is really motivated, they want to grow, to get maximum” as he bids to shrug off pre- “For the rest of the year we are a competitive we are at the moment and better and get back to the times when Williams was there,” season mechanical woes and claim a strong team, we have a lot of good peo- we will know some answers in the next Massa said of the once-formidable team that won nine con- record 10th successive win at the ple on board and we have strong 24-48 hours,” said the Spaniard. structors titles between 1980 and 1997. Australian Grand Prix. resources so I’m confident we should “I think the car itself and the technol- “I don’t know how competitive we can be, compared to the The young German clinched his progress as the season goes on.” ogy that Formula One has brought this other teams ... maybe we can see ourselves fighting with them fourth straight world title in 2013 with a Hamilton, the 2008 world champion, year is a little complex for everyone and and being competitive with the top teams. record-equalling nine wins in a row, played down his chances in what is an we are learning and developing the car “I’m really looking forward and I think it can be a really nice matching the feat of ’s unusually unpredictable race owing to every day.” season for us, but how nice I don’t know.” —Reuters 60 years previously. the large number of technical changes. The plight of Schumacher, who Victory on Sunday would give Vettel remains in an induced coma following a an unprecedented 10th consecutive win Favourite driver, team skiing accident in December, will provide and a major boost in his attempt to “All the media are talking us up. a sombre backdrop to the start of the match Michael Schumacher by claiming Favourite driver, favourite team... I just new season. In a tribute to the seven- five titles in as many years. But Vettel’s don’t know what’s going to happen this time world champion, Brazilian driver new Red Bull car is struggling to adapt to weekend,” said the Briton, adding that Felipe Massa will race with an “MS” new technical requirements which he expected stiff competition from emblazoned on his helmet in his first include a turbocharged engine, energy team-mate . start for new team Williams. recovery system and fuel limit. “It’s very technical this year and “I always think about him every day. He tipped of everyone is in the same boat and every- I’m praying for him every day,” Massa Mercedes, an impressive performer in one is trying to see where the advantage said. “So I hope everything can go back testing, as the most likely winner in is going to be between the two drivers,” and he’ll be okay. “For sure it was a Melbourne-but warned that Red Bull Hamilton said, referring to Rosberg. shame to see what has happened, but I wasn’t waving the white flag just yet. “It’s “From race to race I think you’re keep thinking about him. He’s on my difficult to have any sort of expectations going to see one time he’s ahead, and helmet and I’ll keep praying and hope for most of us,” Vettel told reporters. another time I’m ahead, the same that that things can be okay for him and he’s “But it’s a long season so I’m going you saw last year. The goal is to be ahead coming back.” Schumacher’s family said out here not trying to just to make it on the track.” on Wednesday that the German great MELBOURNE: Felipe Massa of signs auto- round. I’m going out here to push to the Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, teamed was showing “small, encouraging signs graphs for fans at Albert Park ahead of the maximum and do the best I can and this year with fellow former world cham- of recovery” from his severe head Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, then we will see where we are. “The tar- pion Kimi Raikkonen, also said there was injuries. —AFP Australia, yesterday. —AP