The former F1 world champion described the Brit as a 'street fighter'

Damon Hill has claimed that a season opening win for Lewis Hamilton at the Australian Grand Prix could land a psychological blow on Nico Rosberg, which his Mercedes team-mate may not recover from.

For the last two years the Brit has proven top dog at the German marquee having stormed to successive Formula One world titles, with Rosberg left trailing as runner-up.

Such was Hamilton’s advantage, the 31-year-old won his third drivers’ championship with three races to go, before his German team-mate upped his performance to win the remaining grand prix.

Damon Hill believes Lewis Hamilton (left) winning in Australia would be bad news for Nico Rosberg

The 55-year-old (centre) described the Mercedes driver as a 'street fighter' in quest to win

Speculation was whether Hamilton had eased up after securing the title, and Hill claims this weekend will be crucial if the three-time world champion regains his superiority when it matters in the opening race of the year at Albert Park.

‘If Lewis does gain the upper hand right from the get-go in Melbourne, Nico is going to suffer a blow from which he might not recover for the entire season because everyone will be saying things are back to what they were before the championship was decided last year,’ Hill said.

‘It would be dangerous going into the first race of a 21-race championship thinking it is not as important as the entire season.

‘It’s such an important thing to get out the gates with more points than anyone else at the first race.’

Hamilton is aiming to become the first British driver to win four world titles, having matched Sir Jackie Stewart’s record of three last season.

Hill, when he drove for Williams, celebrates after winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone

And Hill claims the biggest obstacle to the former McLaren star’s chances this season is being distracted by his interests away from the race track.

The former Williams and Jordan star also believes that while Hamilton doesn’t need to have the No 1 status at Mercedes, he has a streetwise element which allows him to maintain a psychological edge over Rosberg.

‘I don’t think the antipathy is crucial (for Lewis). Lewis wants to know he’s got the measure of his team-mate. He’s not necessarily after the entire devotion of the team. He’s not one of these drivers that needs to control the entire team.

‘To his credit he is comfortable with Nico getting as much attention as he does in the team.

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The world champion has been putting in the miles during testing as the new season draws nearer 

The battle between the two Mercedes team-mates is expected to be as exciting as last season

‘There’s no suggestion he needs acrimony to thrive, he’s just like that. He’s very clever where there’s any hint of doubt in his rival he will make the call the way he wants it to turn out. So his team-mate is running to catch him up.

‘I’m thinking of Spa [2014] actually. I thought it was 50-50 but Lewis was very quick to say ‘Nico admitted doing something’ and Nico never recovered from that. Lewis is an old hand at this, bit of a street fighter.

‘The only thing Lewis should be wary of is taking his eye off the ball. There’s a job to be done. I still think that in Formula One it requires 100 per cent.

‘Whether it’s Senna and Prost or Mansell and Piquet, none of them won the championship without being 100 per cent on it because it’s too difficult.’

Hamilton, Toto Wolff and Rosberg speak to the media in Stuttgart, Germany to kick-start their campaign