Lewis Hamilton believes he blew team-mate Nico Rosberg away in Malaysia after opening up an early lead to finish over 17 seconds ahead.
The Mercedes driver looked incredibly comfortable in the lead and managed to pull away from the very start, even turning his engine down after just 30 laps whilst Rosberg came under pressure from Sebastian Vettel.
“It’s massive,” he told the Telegraph. “I don’t remember the last time in my career I had a gap like that, particularly with a team-mate driving the same car.”
Whilst Rosberg was victorious in Australia, Hamilton – who started from pole – retired after just two laps due to a broken cyclinder.
Hamilton says he’s pushing himself harder than ever and that’s where his advantage is coming from.
“I’m pushing myself more than my teammate is pushing me,” he added. “That’s where the push is coming from.
“Nico is very quick, he’s won the first race, he’s always there, so naturally we are pushing each other.
“But this year I’m pushing myself that extra. I’m eking out more than I’ve ever been able to eke out and it worked and that is why I blew him away”.
Former team-mate, Jenson Button, believes the ease in which Hamilton won, will be a psychological blow for Rosberg.
“Looking at what Lewis did it’s going to hurt [Rosberg] a little bit. He was super-fast,” he said.
“That is a lot to put between you and your team-mate when you have both had a clear race. I am sure that is strike one to him.”
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