Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he is "excited" by the start of the new Formula 1 season, which opens with the Australian Grand Prix this weekend.

Hamilton said that his team are more prepared for the new season than ever before and that they should be in the hunt for the championship come the end of the 2014 campaign.

"I'm excited about the new season not just as a driver but as a fan," Thesportreview.com quotes Hamilton as saying. "As a fan, you want to see overtaking throughout the field, you want to see different race winners, you want to see the championship go down to the wire. I hope that the changes for this year will make that happen.

"I think we're as ready as we can be for Melbourne and I'm more fired up than ever. With all the changes within the sport and the hard work that's been going on within the team, I believe this can be our year to really show what we're capable of."

Hamilton's rival Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull was less than enthusiastic about his team's chances.