Hamilton: 2017 Mercedes like trying to tame a bull

Lewis Hamilton has described the challenge of driving his Mercedes as trying to tame a bull, but insists it is a situation he is enjoying.

Mercedes struggled to get the most out of its tires in the early races and admitted the car was difficult to set up during pre-season, with Ferrari setting the pace and winning in both Australia and Bahrain. With the defending constructors' champions hitting back with victories in Russia and Spain, Hamilton says the challenge of getting the best out of the car is a fun one.

"I quite like that the car's difficult to drive," Hamilton said. "It's like jumping on, not a competitor, but when you watch people get on the bull, jump on the bull and try and tame the bull, tame a horse. It's the same kind of feeling when you get in this car. It's not easy but it's a challenge.

"There are cars in the past that have been beautiful to drive and have been a lot easier to set up. I like that this is a challenge. It really puts myself and my engineers on the edge, and it really makes us have to be a lot more meticulous with the decisions we make, the direction we go and how I also have to work a lot harder to balance the car – which you saw over the radio in the last race.

"That's part of it. But over the year, the car will continue – as we understand it more and more, the tires, the tools that we have, we'll refine them – and the car will get easier to drive for sure."

When it was put to Vettel that he has a more drivable car than Hamilton, the championship leader says he is only interested in which car is faster.

"We have a good car, we're happy with the way it handles and obviously you're always trying to do the best," Vettel said. "It matters if you're quick, it doesn't matter how you manage to string it together. That's what matters. That's what we're here to do, and sometimes it feels easier, sometimes harder. But it's always enjoyable if you can string it together and you can get a good lap out of it which is a good, also, over a course of laps in the race.

"I haven't driven any of the other cars this year – I'm not planning to! So, I'm happy with what we have, but we want to improve it. So we're happy with where it stands now but we need to make sure it is better next race."