That is because McLaren driver Fernando Alonso thinks he is ready to compete at the front of the grid.
Hamilton clinched his fourth Drivers’ Championship last year after seeing off the challenge of Sebastian Vettel with two races to spare.
Mercedes’ reliability ensured Valtteri Bottas finish in third spot to complete the top three.
But Alonso reckons that McLaren, Hamilton’s former team, can challenge for the title as he hopes to end a 12-year personal wait for a championship.
“In terms of results, it is always going to be difficult to predict,” he told Crash.
“This is Formula 1, it is not mathematical that you know in advance. Anything can happen.
“Even the favourite ones, the champions, Mercedes cannot guarantee that in 2018 they will be fastest.
“But we are quite optimistic, we know what Red Bull is doing with the Renault power unit, they are maybe not the fastest in qualifying but they are quite fast in the race.
“They’ve been on a couple of podiums, they won two or three races, so with those kinds of results I think we will be very happy.
“If we are in the fight and if we can taste the champagne again.”