World champion Lewis Hamilton doesn't need multiple Formula One titles to be ranked among the sport's greats.
The McLaren-Mercedes star, who last year became the youngest champion in the sport's history and almost clinched the crown in his rookie year in 2007, said he did not need to keep proving himself.
''I don't think so,'' Hamilton said. ''We've had people who have won one world championship, some have won two, some have won seven but to win the world championship takes a lot of hard work and dedication.''
Hamilton is determined to put last year's success behind him and adopt the attitude of the hunter to stay motivated for back-to-back titles.
''It would be nice to win it again and I've reset my goals, starting from scratch. It will be tougher this year though,'' he said.
Hamilton was referring to the lack of pace demonstrated by the 2009 McLaren which has trailed rivals during pre-season testing.
He insists the team is not ''sandbagging'', as F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone suggested this week.
Hamilton rated his new McLaren-Mercedes challenger just four out of 10.
He said the team had spent too much time focusing on last year's world championship winning car and not enough time developing the 2009 machine.
''Last year's car, in marks out of 10, I'd probably give it an eight,'' Hamilton said. ''This year's at the moment it would be a four.''
He is mystified by the lack of pace shown during this year's pre-season testing.
''I honestly don't know,'' he said.
''I think we focused so much on last year's car we maybe left it a little bit late to focus on this year's car.''
However, he said the team has the ability to catch up and said even this weekend McLaren was expecting upgraded parts for Sunday's race.
''We've got a fantastic team and the guys are working flat out to recover the situation and to bring it back to the top,'' he said.
''Who knows? This weekend we've got lots of bits coming so hopefully we can try and fight at least for some points,'' he said.
''I think over the course of the next four or five races, that's where we'll see the major improvements and hopefully see us get back to the front. It will be challenging.''
Brawn GP, which emerged from the ashes of the defunct 2008 Honda team, with a new Mercedes engine and with technical guru Ross Brawn the new owner, has stunned F1 by topping the timesheets in testing.
Hamilton said he was amazed by the new outfit's pace and the fact former Honda driver Jenson Button had emerged as the favourite with bookmakers for the Australian race.
''It is incredible what they've done but the fact is maybe they've had more time to focus on the car than the other teams.
''I think they gave up on last year's car because they were at the back and they focused on this year's car so perhaps they started with a few month's earlier than everyone else, but they've done a great job.
''They always have been a great team but they've hit it on the sweet spot and all the best to them,'' Hamilton said. AAP
Email a friend