Lewis Hamilton believes it is “far too early” to say Mercedes teamma🐭te Valtteri Bottas is his only rival for this year’s Formula 1 drivers’ championship, despite the duo stealing a march on the rest of the field in the early part of the 2019 season.

Hamilton and Bottas took two wins and two second-place finishes apiece as Mercedes recorded an unprecedented four one-two f🎀inishes to start the season.

Bottas leads Hamilton by a single point at the top of the drivers’ champioไnship by virtue of his fastest lap in Australia, with third-place Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari already 35 points off the top of the standings.

However, Hamilton said following Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix that it is still too early in the yeaওr to define the title fight in 2019 a🥂s being a two-horse race between the Mercedes drivers.

“It’s far too♏ early to say that one person is the title🧔 rival,” Hamilton said.

“Ferrari this weekend had good pac🐼e in practice and♌ in qualifying. I think if both cars delivered as we delivered, and their drivers delivered as we delivered, I think it would have been a lot closer.

“But we still have to stay on our toes. We didn’t 🌟bring an ꦆupgrade this weekend and Ferrari did, so it’s a little bit of a surprise performance-wise, because at some stage we will bring an upgrade.”

Asked how he saw his rel🌳ationship with Bottas changing through a possible title fight, Hamilton said: "I can’t tell you what’s going to happen further in the year. I can’t judge if one’s character will change or not.

"Drivers in the past didn’t stick💜 to the rules of engagement that we have as a team, and Valtteri does."

Hamilton added that he thoughtꦆ the margins between the title contenders in 2019 “appear smaller” than they were last year, but relished th💦e prospect of a difficult fight for a potential sixth world title.

“Last year I think they were pretty tigh♈t as w📖ell on numerous occasions. But you want it to be the toughest battle,” Hamilton said.

“Then when you do achieve your goals, o🥃r reach your goals, then it’s even more satisfying.

“But that’s🅰 when you do, this weekend I didn’t, so a long way still with a certain feeling, and I’ll harnessℱ it.”