The reigning champion has not started 2018 as he might have wished. With Mercedes yet to win a race this season and their rivals seemingly upping their game every weekend, the Silver Arrows will face a true test for the first time since the introduction of the hybrid power units in 2014.
Lewis Hamilton has admitted it will be tough for him to retain his crown as Formula One world champion in 2018.
Having been robbed of a win in Australia thanks to circumstances beyond his control, he has yet to register a win this season and with each passing weekend, looks further and further off of the pace.
In China, he could only manage fourth on race day and Mercedes were again left scratching their heads as to how their rivals had outperformed them.
"Who knows what the season holds?" he told Sky Sports. "If it continues the way it is it is going to be very tough to win,
"But if there is an opportunity and we were to finish on top it would mean even more as it's an even tougher season than before.
"My goal is still the same. But it is clear from this weekend we are not the quickest.
"We have lost performance since Melbourne and even more so this weekend. We are the second or third-fastest team at the moment so we got improving to do, but that's not impossible.
"What this team has shown over the years we are great at staying united and continue to barrel on and keep working."
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