Lewis Hamilton says he’s prepared to knuckle down harder than ever over the winter period to ensure he comes back stronger than ever for the 2014 season.
The Briton finished his maiden season with Mercedes in fourth, 18 points ahead of team-mate Nico Rosberg, but he feels it was one of his worst as he struggled to understand the W04.
In an effort to improve, he says he’ll be spending much more time at the factory, similar to his rookie season, to ensure he can make the most of every opportunity.
“I need to be working with the engineers in the factory, and I feel like I am going to have a winter like in 2006 going to 2007,” he said on Monday.
“This year has been an average year in terms of my performance, so I need to work hard and get myself to the point where I can feel I can do more.”
The dramatic rule changes next year present an opportunity for all the drivers, and Hamilton is keen to make the most of his preparations – though he says he can only do so much.
“Next year is different. We have to manage the braking, manage the KERS, manage the fuel, and then the tyres are going to be something else too,” he explained. “They are an unknown at the moment.
“Even though we are on the simulator, we don’t have a tyre model for next year so it is difficult to know if the driving style is that much different.”
