• Mercedes

Hamilton has 'absolute faith' in ability to defend title

Lewis Hamilton has "absolute faith" Mercedes will give him a car capable of defending his title next year.

Hamilton took his second title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday and his first with Mercedes after a season-long battle with team-mate Nico Rosberg. Mercedes capitalised on changes in regulations this season and dominated the field from the first race to the last.

When Hamilton won his first title with McLaren in 2008, the regulation changes the following year caught his team out and made it almost impossible for him to defend his title. This time he is hoping he can emulate the likes of Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, who have gone on to dominate for a series of seasons with a successful team.

"That's naturally always the dream, to be able to go into next season and compete again and be as strong as possible," he said. "That's obviously going to be the goal and I have absolute faith in the team that we will come back very, very strong next year. That's what every driver dreams of and of course in 2009 the kind of aero on the cars changed a lot in that year. Next year it will be very similar and very much the same.

"Watching past drivers, that following year they seem to continue getting stronger on a positive curve and trend, so I hope that's the case for us next year. I'm sure with Petronas we will work very hard to make sure we improve our engine and with the car the team is going to push and we are making positive steps in that way.

"I'm looking forward to going back to the factory and downloading every bit of info that I can and make sure there are areas that I can improve on and take that away and make sure I improve on them. Also, for the car I want to make sure the guys have all the information possible to steer them in the right direction."

Hamilton said winning the championship with Mercedes gave him more satisfaction than in 2008 because it was with a young team that he had helped build.

"The first title was an exceptional and an incredible feeling. That was achieving a life-long goal of getting to Formula One and winning the world championship. I don't know if I was in a place to really embrace it and absorb it in the way I can today.

"Being a part of this team is definitely a more satisfying feeling winning the championship with this team - a young team that has worked so hard to get to where we are. To be a part of that is something really very special, you see the atmosphere in the team, you see the guys at the factory and what's gone on with the partnership with Petronas and all the guys back at the factories in Brackley and Brixworth putting the team together. Being in a different stage in my life, it just feels sweeter being a bit older. It's very special and a humbling experience."

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