'We got everything we needed from pre-season testing', says Hamilton

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Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes has yet to fully understand how to get the most out of its new W08 Silver Arrows following pre-season testing which never led to "the perfect day".

Hamilton clocked in fourth fastest overall at the end of the double-week test, with a lap which was about six-tenths slower that Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, the man at the top of the timesheet.

"Do we have more potential? I mean time will tell," Hamilton said.

"We’ve been focusing on trying to understand this car and getting the most out of it and as I’ve said, there’s never generally been the perfect day, but there’s more potential in the car for it to grow.

Video: an onboard compare between Ferrari 2017 and Mercedes 2016

While Hamilton was happy with what Mercedes and himself accomplished in Spain, as the team validated the design of its W08 and confirmed its reliability, the Brit certainly did not squeeze all the car's juice out of it.

"I didn’t feel like I got everything out of it [the car], so I could go faster, but of course there are all sorts of things that can bring the time down [such as fuel load]."

"We did everything we needed to do and learned a lot, which is always a positive as some days you don’t learn a lot.

"You chase your tail sometimes. But we learned a lot. I feel confident we’ve got everything we need from this test."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.