LEWIS HAMILTON retired from the Australian GP with an engine failure and declared the opening three races as his “worst start” to a season.

The 39-year-old lasted just 15 laps before he pulled over when his power unit shut down.

Lewis Hamilton claims he's undergoing the worst start to a season he's ever had
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Lewis Hamilton claims he’s undergoing the worst start to a season he’s ever hadCredit: Splash

Hamilton retired from the Australian Grand Prix with an engine failure

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Hamilton retired from the Australian Grand Prix with an engine failureCredit: Rex
His DNF comes after a seventh-place finish in Bahrain and he was a lowly ninth in Saudi Arabia.

On Friday, he declared that Mercedes’ latest pig off the production line “messes with the mind” due to its poor performance.

Hamilton has decided to ditch Mercedes and move to Ferrari as he believes the Italian team will present him with the best opportunity to win titles again.

And while he wants to go out with a bang with Mercedes, his latest set-back means he is down in ninth place in the drivers’ championship.