MELBOURNE, Australia — Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton said Thursday that his McLaren team is likely to be off the pace of its rivals in the opening stages of the 2009 season.
On the eve of the first official practice session of the new season, in preparation for Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton was asked which teams he thought would be prominent in the 2009 title race.
“We’ll have pretty much the same people up there as last year, except for us obviously,” Hamilton said Thursday.
The reigning F1 champion said the lack of pace exhibited by the new McLaren in preseason testing would make it difficult to defend his title.
“It’s a great accolade to have, a great title to have next to your name,” Hamilton said of his F1 drivers’ championship. “I’ve reset the targets again. I want to be world champion again, although it will be tough this year.”
The English driver said all teams will have difficulty adjusting to new regulations, which reduce aerodynamic downforce and introduce such driver gadgets as adjustable front wings and the use of KERS — an energy-storage device which can be used to provide a power boost at driver discretion.
“We don’t know what to expect this weekend,” Hamilton said. “It will be a real challenge for everyone, so much has changed. It doesn’t only affect drivers but the teams.
“People will be making adaptations and getting used to it.”
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