The pressure has eased a notch for Hamilton

The reigning world champion, Lewis Hamilton, believes that the pressure will ease a notch in 2009 now that he has secured his first title.

The Briton became the youngest driver in history to win the F1 championship, beating Felipe Massa by one point in an epic final Brazilian Grand Prix.

And although his success has met the expectations placed on his shoulders, Hamilton believes he is now better prepared to deal with situations that caused him problems in the past.

“I feel less pressure,” he confessed on ITV, the British channel, during a program reviewing the 2008 Formula 1 season. “I do not feel the external pressure, but the one that is internal.”

« I still have this pressure within me, but I now know that I can control it and use it to my advantage. »

« I won the championship in my second year, but there is much more to come. I can do better and make fewer mistakes, » added Hamilton.

« I have analyzed everything that happened this season, the positive sides and the negative sides. We need to turn the negative into positive. I appreciate the present and I am really looking forward to the future. »

Hamilton also stated that he was eager to actually discover the 2009 slick tires, which will result in changing the philosophy of the cars.

« It won’t be so hard to get used to these tires. I’ve experienced them in GP2, so I won’t be lost in 2009. »