Lewis Hamilton says he had the title fight in mind when Max Verstappen caught him in the opening stages of the Malaysian Grand Prix, a race he doubts Mercedes had a chance of winning on raw pace.
Hamilton's good prospects coming into the race -- pole position, with title rival starting from 20th -- looked even better before the start, with Kimi Raikkonen encountering an engine problem and failing to make the start in the other Ferrari. That meant Hamilton had the front row all to himself and he easily held the lead into Turn 1.
His lead did not last long, with Verstappen staying within DRS range and soon closing in for a move on lap four.