Hamilton, the 2008 champion who was leading the standings
after three successive third places, said looking after the tyres was going to be the big challenge in the blazing conditions. “The temperatures keep on rising until it feels just like driving on an
ce-rink,” he said, after finishing fourth in the afternoon. Neither Hamilton, who started the first two races on pole position,
nor Vettel have won a race yet this season with three different winners in the opening rounds.