Hamilton oozes confidence
2008-09-11 19:33
Monza, Italy - Lewis Hamilton arrived in Monza on Thursday oozing a mixture of confidence and focused determination to right a wrong as he began his preparations for the weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
Hamilton said he intends to use the widespread sense of injustice that has followed his loss of victory in Belgium last weekend as a source of energy to keep him and the McLaren team on the attack in this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
The 23-year-old Englishman, who leads Brazilian Felipe Massa by two points in this year's title contest after the Ferrari driver was gifted victory in Spa-Francorchamps two hours following the race by the stewards, said he had every intention of winning again on Ferrari's home turf this Sunday.
He said: "I damn sure plan to make sure that it (his loss of victory in Spa) has no effect on it (his mood for this race and the championship). I still have a two-points lead and we are going to make sure that we continue to attack and perform like we did in the last two races.
"And knowing that we have that package makes us more and more confident. And, if anything, we can use this as our fuel to keep on pushing. I feel great. For the next few races, our car will suit the circuits just as well as it did at Spa. So we are going to make sure we do the best job we can."
Hamilton was careful to distance himself from talk of revenge or to become engaged in any analysis of the controversial decision, taken by three stewards, to strip him of his victory, for cutting out the Bus Stop chicane.
And he said he felt no sense of being disheartened or disappointed as he and the McLaren team concentrated on the next three days of intense Formula One racing.
Asked by reporters how he felt just four days after the astonishing decision to take away his win and give it to Massa, Hamilton admitted he had, at first, felt that one of his greatest dreams had been stolen from him.
Really satisfied
But, he stressed, he had moved on from that initial feeling and was now feeling, good, confident and highly-motivated.
He said: "I feel pretty good, to be honest. I felt it was always a driver's dream to win in Spa especially when you win in such amazing conditions and in such an exhilarating way.
"I was so excited. My heart was racing for those last few laps. I felt really satisfied with the job that I did. Then, I came away from the circuit, for sure, in a bit of a state of disbelief, but, you know, this is motor racing and it is to be expected sometimes."
Instead he concentrated on the weekend ahead and contented himself with a clear explanation of how he had out-driven and beaten Raikkonen. To suggestions that the Finn had braked too soon, he almost smiled.
"Well, that's his driving style and that's all," he said. "That is how he drives. If you don't have the balls to brake late then that is your problem! "At the end of the day, in those situations it is the driver who can feel the grip more and put the car more on the edge.
"And I know I am great in those conditions. I felt the grip more than him, I knew where to place my car and I did place it in different positions to him and I found the grip."
Hamilton also played down all talk of revenge at Ferrari's home race. "I don't feel ever that there is a need for revenge," he said. "The fact is we are having a great season, battling the Ferraris, which is a real pleasure. They are a fantastic team and so are we.
"We fight so closely and it really does come down to who does the better job as a whole. So, it means the team doing a more solid job with reliability, pit-stops, and strategy - and the driver keeping the thing on the track and pulling out those tenths of a second.
"Coming here, it would be great to win like last year and beat them on their home turf. It is a hard knock. Fortunately we covered our home Grands Prix this year so hopefully we can do it here as well."