Nico Rosberg has vowed to avoid a repeat of the pain of Formula One world championship defeat to Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton this season.
A wheel has yet to turn in anger in the new season but the expectation already is that Mercedes will continue to dominate.
It means the fight for the drivers’ crown is likely to be a further showdown between reigning champion Hamilton and his team-mate Rosberg.
Last year Hamilton reeled in Rosberg’s early advantage with a run of six victories in the final seven races to clinch his second title.
Rosberg, though, is determined to gain revenge as the 29-year-old German said: “I have focused on pushing myself even harder for the rematch with Lewis.
“In the end, it comes down to who can put the best season together overall, and I have to make sure it’s the other way round this time.
“Having said that, my team-mate is one of many strong competitors I have to beat if I want to be world champion, so I’m just focused on being the absolute best I can be.
“I now know the feeling of winning championship races and I intend to do a lot more of that this season, but I also know the feeling of not winning in the end and I don’t intend to repeat that experience.
“It’s a huge motivation for me and gives me even more determination for 2015.”
Hamilton is equally fired up to write his name into F1 folklore and join a rare breed of three-times champions.
“There are many good drivers out there and all of them want to win – you just have to want it more than they do,” said Hamilton.
“I feel fresh, I feel fit, I feel relaxed, I feel positive...I feel ready.
“As a driver you get stronger with every season, so I plan to be better than last year.”
Garde’s drive demand
The legal judgment on Giedo van der Garde’s attempt to force the Sauber team to let him drive for them in the upcoming F1 season has been reserved until tomorrow, the Supreme Court of the Australian state of Victoria said yesterday.
The case was heard yesterday in Melbourne but a decision will not be handed down until tomorrow, two days before the first free practice session for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman was a test driver for the Swiss team last season and is claiming Sauber reneged on a deal to give him a race seat in 2015.
A Swiss arbitration tribunal had ordered the team to refrain from taking action to deprive Van der Garde from taking part in the 2015 season as one of the team’s two nominated race drivers.