Hamilton cautiously 'positive'

Lewis Hamilton admits he does not like to use the word "confident", opting instead for "upbeat" and "positive" as he has a first win of the season in his sights

It has been a lean time for Hamilton of late after a run of nine races without savouring the sweet taste of victory champagne, and with just two wins in his last 24.

But for the first time this year the 2008 World Champion will start on the front row after coming as close as anybody to knocking Red Bull Racing off their perch.

Ahead of Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix, only Mark Webber is ahead of the McLaren star on the grid.

Webber clinched his third straight pole, becoming the first to do so since Ferrari's Felipe Massa three years ago, and the first Australian to achieve the feat since Sir Jack Brabham in 1960.

It also gave Red Bull their seventh successive pole position, the best run in F1 in one season since McLaren in 1999.

But Hamilton is determined to prevent Webber from making it three wins in a row at Istanbul Park after his triumphs already this month in Spain and Monaco.

"I plan to win and we're in the closest position to do it, so I can only hope and pray tomorrow is a positive day," Hamilton said.

"I'm going to do everything I can to prepare myself mentally and come back tomorrow and fight.

"If I can get close enough to Mark, without a doubt I'll be taking the opportunity to pass."

Asked if he was confident of victory, Hamilton replied: "I don't like to use that word.

"But I'm happy with my car and very happy with the position I'm in, even if it is on the dirty side. You do what you can from there.

"But throughout a weekend I always seem to find more and more time, so I'm upbeat, positive."

Three weeks ago Hamilton was a second slower than a Red Bull one-two in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix, but today the gap was just 0.138 seconds.

Hamilton added: "We're making steps forward and it's great to be able to separate the Red Bulls.
"The guys back at the factory are doing an incredible job and they are under immense pressure, but we all want to win and we're edging closer and closer.

"After qualifying I walked past Mark's car and I said to myself 'Just one more step'. I know we can fight these guys.

"They still have quite a big advantage on us, but we're going to get that advantage and hopefully you're going to see Jenson (Button) and I up there and them trying to split us."

Source: Planet-F1