Lewis Hamilton calm about not having won a race in 2012 yet

The McLaren driver was denied a potential win in the last race in Spain after his pole position was taken away for a rule infringement.

He was forced to start from the back of the grid after his team failed to put enough fuel in his car. Hamilton was also given a five-place grid penalty through no fault of his own in Bahrain following a gearbox change.

But the 2008 world champion said he remained positive ahead of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix and that it's all a matter of improving where and when it counts.

"I am not frustrated, this is the way racing goes sometimes," he said. "Looking at the qualifying results we have had, we would have loved to finish further up and we definitely need to improve if we want to stay where we are or move forward - but we are working very hard to making sure it can continue."

Hamilton's team principal Martin Whitmarsh admitted during the team's Vodafone media phone-in on Thursday that the Englishman had suffered from poor luck so far this season.

"He has been unlucky this year, in many ways the last race [Spain] was disappointing for the team but I think Lewis should come away from that event - and I think he does - with a very strong feeling about what he has achieved this year," he said.

"Through no fault of his own he had a very severe penalty levelled against him and it is very easy at a circuit like Barcelona where overtaking is very difficult even with DRS to have some frustration.

"To then be asked by the team to run a two-stop strategy because of the difficulty in getting through the field, and ultimately have to complete a race with such controlled and measured tyre conservation, including 31 laps - more than any other driver - he should come away with the feeling that he has a car that is capable of being on pole.

"He has the speed and capability to be on pole - and he has been on the front row in every race, and his driving is showing greater levels of maturity, control and discipline than perhaps we've seen before."

Whitmarsh emphasised that in spite of his misfortune, Hamilton was very much in the title fight - in third position just eight points off co-leaders Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso: "He must consider himself as a very strong candidate to win in Monaco... win many more races and to win this year's world championship."

Hamilton added that he felt very confident heading into a race he loves and has won before - in 2008. "It is wide open, this track is where the driver can make a difference," said the 27-year-old. "I love it here.

"To be able to wake up in your own bed and drive just down the road and be at work is a fantastic feeling.

"I am sure it will make quite a big difference, I loved where I lived before [in Switzerland] but this is just a different place and I see to be enjoying it a bit more."