Lewis Hamilton has said that he hopes to keep the pressure on world championship leader
Kimi Raikkonen in this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix, but admits that his
McLaren team is still not on a par with
Ferrari.
The Briton, who created such a stir on his arrival in
Formula One last season, has won only once so far in 2008 - at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix - and currently lies nine points adrift of current champion Raikkonen in the standings. After two races where he finished off the podium, however, Hamilton admitted that Spain provided a welcome boost, even if the result was still not what he wanted.
"I think what was good to observe is that, over the weekend, we got faster and faster," he told the official
F1 website, "Throughout the race, we were quicker, able to push them the whole race. I wouldn't say it was a relief, but it boosted confidence for the whole team, including myself. We do have a very strong package and it is very, very close, [but] we just need to work even harder to make sure we gain a tenth here and a tenth there. But I have no doubts that we can do that.
"For me, it's not such a concern [that a tenth can make so much difference in a close field]. It just shows that some people are doing a slightly better job. Qualifying was quite satisfying last time, and that surprised me a little bit [
Hamilton was fifth fastest in Spain - ed.]. I think it's great for the sport to see so many cars so close together. I think that's what racing's all about.
"Every race holds different challenges and there are still 14 races to go. There's still a lot more that we can improve, and the most important thing is that we move forward - keep working together and improving our car. This week, I feel very optimistic. I feel fit, I feel happy and I think we can do the job this weekend. I want to get points, but I also want to win. I do miss winning."
