Hamilton raring to go again
Lewis Hamilton attended the unveiling of the new McLaren in Stuttgart
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Monday, 07, Jan 2008 10:36
Lewis Hamilton is ready to launch back into Formula One after a turbulent rookie season saw him miss out on the drivers' championship by a single point.
The 23-year-old Briton, speaking at the unveiling of McLaren's car for next term, is hopeful that he can still become the sport's youngest-ever champion.
"I honestly feel stronger. I feel great right now. I've done a lot of really good preparation already, way before the first test even, and I just believe that it's a fresh start for us all, turning over a new leaf," he said.
Hamilton's remarkable debut for the Woking-based team was overshadowed by the spying scandal that saw them docked £50 million and stripped of their constructors' points after obtaining technical details from rivals Ferrari.
His frosty relationship with double world champion team-mate Fernando Alonso also provided an intriguing subplot to the most exciting title race in years.
With Alonso now replaced by Finn Heikki Kovalainen, Hamilton is confident that he is well-placed to avenge his defeat at the hands of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
"I wouldn't say that what happened last year was a blow, but you wouldn't be human if you didn't feel anything," he said.
"But I've recovered from it and I feel even stronger, mentally and physically, and now I'm just excited and even more determined than I have been in the past."
Hamilton and Kovalainen will now head to Spain where they will put the MP4-23 through its paces ahead of the season's curtain-rising Australian grand prix in Melbourne on March 16th.