Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton believes the whole pack has ‘closed up’

Five-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton believes that the entire Formula 1 pack has “closed up” ahead of the 2019 season.

The 2019 Formula 1 season is scheduled to get underway next Sunday, March 17 with the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, Australia.

Following preseason testing for the 21-race 2019 season, five-time Formula 1 champion and two-time defending champion Lewis Hamilton, who is set to enter his 13th season in Formula 1 and his seventh driving for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, has stated that the whole pack has “closed up”.

In fact, the 34-year-old Briton believes that the sport’s mid-pack teams have closed their gap to the top three teams of Mercedes, Scuderia Ferrari and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing down to “within half a second or maybe less”.

Here is what Hamilton had to say about the matter, according to Planet F1.

"“The whole pack has closed up. I don’t know which team is fourth currently, but they are a lot closer than they were before. There was like a second gap before, but now they are within half a second or maybe less, which is awesome.“So depending on how their development is during the year and whether they have the capacity to develop as quickly as the top three teams will be the question, but it will be exciting. Maybe we will some races where Renault or the Racing Point will be a lot higher than they were in the past.“Our teams – us, Ferrari and Red Bull – are all quite strong in that area, in terms of development. Red Bull in the past have had quite strong development during the years, been right up there with the best, but I think it’s all very, very close with us. It is a development race, but I think I’ve got as strong a team as I could possibly have to fight that development battle.“Naturally when you start one foot ahead it’s easier to stay, or if you’re two or three steps ahead, it’s easier to keep at least one of those feet ahead throughout the year. Time will tell.”"

Last season, only one of the 63 podium spots was occupied by a non-Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull Racing driver. Sahara Force India’s Sergio Perez finished in third place in the season’s fourth race, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

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The last time a driver won a Formula 1 race driving for a team other than Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull Racing was in the 2013 season. Kimi Raikkonen won the 2013 season opener, the Australian Grand Prix, driving for Lotus. A total of 118 races have been contested since then.

Lotus, however, no longer compete in Formula 1, meaning that the last time a driver won a Formula 1 race driving for a team other than Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull Racing that are still competing in the sport to this day was in the 2012 season. Jenson Button won the season finale, the Brazilian Grand Prix, driving for McLaren. A total of 119 races have been contested since then.

The last time a team other than Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull Racing team won a Formula 1 constructor championship was in the 2009 season when Brawn won it. Brawn, however, no longer compete in the sport, meaning that the last time a team other than Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull Racing team won a Formula 1 constructor championship was in the 2006 season when Renault won it.

How much, if at all, have the mid-pack Formula 1 teams gained on the sport’s three top-tier teams of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull Racing? Be sure to tune in to ESPN for the live broadcast of the opening race of the 2019 season, the Australian Grand Prix, at 1:10 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 17 to get a clearer picture regarding this matter.