Ferrari will launch strong fightback after poor Australian Grand Prix, warns Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton warned Ferrari will hit back after their poor showing in Australia at the weekend and predicted a three-team fight for the title with Mercedes and Red Bull.

Hamilton finished second to his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in yesterday’s season opener in Melbourne after the Finn got the edge off the start line. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed the podium, with the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc fourth and fifth.

Winter testing had suggested that Ferrari were the team to beat ahead of Mercedes, with Red Bull the best of the rest, but Hamilton said: “I was led to believe that Ferrari were ahead. Obviously, that wasn’t the case this weekend.

“I am not quite sure why their performance was how it was but I am sure they will come back strongly in the next races, so we have to stay on our toes. Red Bull were able to pass the Ferrari and I think it’s awesome.

“The Red Bulls are there with us and I think we are going to have a really, really great battle between the three of us. It is going to be a really interesting season.”