With F1’s current regulations now in their fourth year, the performance gaps that gave front-runners comfortable advantages are shrinking fast. Teams that were once struggling to keep pace have had enough time with these cars to catch up on the learning curve. (See: Ferrari and McLaren’s surge last year .)

Lewis Hamilton drove his new Ferrari Formula One car for the first time on Wednesday and said the team had everything they needed to win the championship and were ready to do so. The 40-year-old Briton told reporters in a video call from Maranello that he was more hopeful than ever of claiming his eighth title.