Hamilton has 'greater respect' for Vettel since 2017 Baku clash

Lewis Hamilton insists there are no lingering bad feelings toward title rival Sebastian Vettel over their clash at Baku last year.

Ten months ago, Vettel banged wheels with Hamilton after claiming that the Mercedes driver had 'brake tested' him behind a safety car. Vettel was handed a penalty for the incident. It cost him a chance of winning the race when Hamilton subsequently hit problems.

At the time, a furious Hamilton labelled the Ferrari driver a "disgrace". But looking back on the clash now, the Briton was much more relaxed about it.

"It's good to see fire within the people that you're competing with," he said. "It's also good to see that they're not perfect, because I guess nobody's perfect."

"We all make mistakes but it's more so how people handle it and how they progress is what you can really learn from."

Far from holding a grudge about what happened, Hamilton seemed to be even more admiring of Vettel as a result of the on-track outburst.

"The respect has grown, actually, a considerable amount since then," he said. "I'm sure it will continue.

• Hamilton hopes to 'grow, excel and make history' with Mercedes

"He's continued to progress as the champion that he is. How he presents himself, how he speaks - he continues to grow. And the words that he uses today."

Hamilton's had a difficult start to his title defence. While Vettel has won twice, Hamilton himself has yet to make it to the top step of the podium in the first three races of 2018.

"The others have definitely stepped up," he said. "We've made a step forward but they have made a bigger leap.

"It is small, small percentages that are going to make the difference. We are still the same team that has won in previous years. I think we really can battle out these guys.

"If we are able to pull through and deliver as we have in previous years it would be the biggest achievement this team will have accomplished."

He certainly didn't think that the teams' new W09 had any significant deep-rooted issues holding it back.

"We believe it's sound," he told Sky Sports News. "The car has been great. But in the last race it wasn't performing the way it normally does.

"I think the tyres came into play," he mused. "If we can get on top of the tyre situation we will be able to show the true performance of the car."

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