Hamilton confident of lifting the title now his mind's back on track

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As he prepared to improve on his six-point advantage over Ferrari's Felipe Massa in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, the British driver contrasted his build up on Thursday to the turmoil of a year ago when his preparations were interrupted by his appearance at the Spygate hearing.

Refreshed at Spa: Hamilton goes into Sunday's race in confdient mood

Even though Hamilton went unpunished, his McLaren team were fined a record £50million for using Ferrari technical secrets.

The 23-year-old said: 'Compared to then, the mood is different. There's a huge difference. We've moved on. We are challenging for the world championship, and not just trying to stay in it.

'Last year when I walked the track I didn't know if I would be racing, whereas this year we don't have any of those stresses.

'We're a strong team with a real good atmosphere throughout, and we are 100 per cent committed to winning the championship.'

Hamilton, who needed pain-killing injections just to compete in the European Grand Prix in Valencia a fortnight ago, declared himself 100 per cent recovered for the high-speed challenge of Spa's 4.35mile track.

However, BMW's Robert Kubica doubts whether his friend can hang on to his lead over the closing six rounds of the championship. The Pole, impressed by Massa's recent strong run, said: 'I said at the beginning of the year that I would put my money on Felipe, and I'm sticking to that.

'I think some people made their minds up about him four years ago and don't change them. I think as a driver he has made massive progress.'

Ferrari are confident there will no repeat of the engine blow-outs they suffered in the last two races. They are blaming a faulty batch of conrods, which connect the piston to the crankshaft, for both problems.