Lewis Hamilton says he does see any difference in Mercedes Formula 1 teammate Valtteri Bottas compared to last year, calling the Fi♑nn a “strong character”.

Bottas took a 🍰crushing victory at the F1 season-opene🎶r in Australia, beating Hamilton by more than 20 seconds ඣas he ended a win drought which dated back to the end of 2017.

The result followed a winter that had seen Bottas work on bouncing back from his difficult 2018 campaign, with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff praising his driver after being “compleꦕtely written off”.

Feelings of a shift in Bottas’ mentalitᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚy have been shared by many, but Hamilton said he had not noted any big changes in his teamma🍬te’s approach compared to last year.

“I don’t think so. He’s motivated every year,” Ham𝔉ilton said when asked if Bottas was more motivated and stronger than in 2018.

“I work with the guy. He’s the same guy he wa🦩s last year, so no difference for me - except he has a beard!

“Time will tell I guess. I never thought he was a weak person anyway. I’ve alway🌳s seen him as a strongꦍ character.”

Hamilton knoc🌼ked back a suggestion Bottas’ ꦺvictory in Australia would place him under added pressure this year, saying it was simply a continuation of his teammate’s good form.

“It doesn’t really change a single thing,” Hamilton said. “Last year, he was very strong. It was a good second year for him. He was very unfortunate in many race🌼s, and it’s just a continuation on from that.

“There’s only been one race. It was a great race for him, an༒d I look forward to seeing many more good races from him.”

DEBRIS LIKELY TO BLAME FOR AUSTRALIA DEFICIT

Mercedes confirmed after the race in Australiaღ that the floor on Hamilton’s car had sustained damage, explaining the 20-second gap to Bottas in first place.

Hamilton explained that a drop in pace was identified early✃ in the race, believing a piece of debris may have caused the part breakage.

“We saw the drop in pe𝓀rformance from Lap 4,” Hamilton said.

“There was an assump𒅌tion made that it was by kerbs, but I didn’t ride any more kerbs than I had done in the past, so it most likely was debris.

“There was some debris from other cars losin💜g parts of ♔their car, so it could have easily been that.

“But again, it’s all a guessing game. I didn’t make any mistakes or run wid🅘e anywhere to cause the incident, but it was a big loss in performance.”

Additional reporting by Haydn Cobb.