Triple F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari has got “something up its sleeve” ahead of this weekend’s 2016 season opener in Australia.
Despite Ferrari topping the timesheets in winter testing, Hamilton believes the team has played down expectations.
The British driver also thinks the whole pack will be closer compared to 2015 at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne.
"I think this year that the whole pack looks like it's a little bit closer," Hamilton said when asked about the potential pecking order during the FIA press conference.
"I think that [Ferrari has] got something up their sleeve this weekend. I think Ferrari are going to be a lot closer than they talk about, than just arriving on a low but going to deliver high."
He would "absolutely" welcome more of a challenge from Ferrari in the 2016 season, after the team made big steps forward last year, scoring three victories with Sebastian Vettel.
Hamilton also admitted that "in hindsight" Mercedes could have shifted its programme to complete more running on the softer tyres, having focused more on longer runs on the harder Pirelli compounds during testing.
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