Mercedes looked to again be the fastest car on the grid for the season, as the new W06 Hybrid completed more laps in pre-season testing than any rival car, and did so using just one power unit. Similarly to the year before, Mercedes' dominance over the rest of the field was confirmed at the first races in Australia where the pair secured a Mercedes 1–2, over 34 seconds ahead of the third place Ferrari. In Malaysia, Hamilton took pole position despite suggestions that Rosberg had deliberately blocked him on his final run of the rain-affected session. Rosberg had already abandoned his lap, but did not move aside as Hamilton came past, forcing him off the racing line. It turned out not to matter as Hamilton had already done enough for pole on a previous lap. Hamilton played down the incident but Rosberg posed as a journalist during the post-qualifying press conference and questioned his team-mate about the incident. The two Mercedes drivers once again dominated the season, although battle between the two turned out to be a less close affair as Hamilton won the title with three races remaining at the 2015 United States Grand Prix.