Despite the setback he suffered at the third round of the 2008
Formula One season in Bahrain two weekends ago,
Lewis Hamilton insists that things can improve now that the series is back in Europe.
Although he only posted fifth and seventh fastest times on his two days of running at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona - the stage for the next round of the season in ten days' time - Hamilton would have been encouraged by McLaren team-mate
Heikki Kovalainen's second spot on the final day, but insisted that it had been an unusual test when it came to predicting a pecking order, with teams running developments for next
season, and not just the next race.
"There were a few [new developments on the MP4-23's aero package, and] we have definitely made some steps forward, but I think, at this test, everyone is doing something different," he pointed out, "Some teams are running slick tyres, some are running grooves. We are just focusing on the job [of working for 2008], the car is feeling better and I feel a more comfortable in it."
The three 'flyaway' races yielded a win, a fifth and a non-score for the man who finished second in last year's championship standings, but Hamilton is adamant that there is plenty of time to turn things around as Formula One moves into its most intense phase of the year.
"It is great to be back in Europe," he admitted, "This is when it really starts getting busy. You are closer to home, closer to the team, it is a great feeling."
Bahrain turned into something of a personal nightmare for Hamilton, who crashed in Friday practice, qualified third and then struggled to get off the line after failing to prime the
McLaren's starting systems early enough. Swamped by the field on the run to turn one, the Briton then compounded his problems by running into the back of nemesis
Fernando Alonso, condemning himself to a day fighting for very little reward and prompting observers to question whether he was the same Hamilton as shocked
F1 last year.
