Hamilton rivals say luck powered F1 rise
22-year-old Nico Rosberg is a highly rated driver for Williams, but he will commence his third formula one season next Sunday without having scored a single podium place.
The German says Briton Hamilton is very talented but admits that his instant success as a McLaren rookie last year was "definitely frustrating".
"He's a bastard! He sneaked in from behind and jumped ahead of me," Rosberg told the Daily Telegraph.
"But F1 involves luck and chance — it's a matter of being with the right team at the right moment."
Toyota newcomer Timo Glock, meanwhile, succeeds Hamilton as the reigning GP2 champion, and similarly thinks "timing" played a role in the McLaren driver's highly lauded campaign last year.
"Lewis was just there in the right moment, in the right car," he said in an interview with Reuters.
"He did a good job but in the end it's not one hero doing everything. It's a team sport. You have to have the right package and the right timing.
"That's what Lewis had last year," Glock added.