Hamilton focused on ironing out one big weakness

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Lewis Hamilton is at the top of his game with Mercedes, but the five-time world champion admits that one important aspect of his job is giving him a hard time.

Hamilton secured pole position in Melbourne but was beaten off the line by team mate and future winner Valtteri Bottas.

In Bahrain last Sunday, the Brit once again deplored his start which was less consequential but nevertheless not up to his standards.

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Hamilton admitted that he still has more work to do to improve his launch off the grid.

"I can’t express how hard I’ve been working on my starts and it really wasn’t good," Hamilton said after last weekend's race;

"I’m just going to keep working at it. basically you stumble, fall, get back up. Just keep pushing.

"Fortunately I was still in the mix and got past Valtteri which I was happy with that manoeuvre, and had that battle with Sebastian which was awesome," he added.

Ultimately however, the Mercedes star lucked into his 74th career win and his first victory of 2019 when Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was forced to slow as a result of an engine issue.

The Scuderia's superior pace in Bahrain's desert was a cause for concern in the German camp, with the day's winner insisting he and his team had np reason to be "jumping around in excitement".

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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.