Hamilton: McLaren will win again soon

And now the world champion reckons it's just a matter of time before he can fight for victories again.

"For sure it lifts our spirits as a team," Hamilton told reporters after he qualified in fifth position ahead of tomorrow's race.

"It lifts my spirit, and for me as a driver sitting in the car and knowing that I can push, it has given me a big boost. I know the team have been working extremely hard, and it was just about time - when will we get the update that will help propel us a bit more.

"But we have a long way to go. I think today you saw conditions that are variable and enabled us to be higher than maybe it should have been.

"But with more updates coming in the future, hopefully in the next three or four races I hope we are competing for wins. I honestly think we can do that."

The Briton, who has scored just nine points in eight races, praised the whole team for having managed to raise its game following a dismal first part of the season.

"I don't know about victory. I think we need to take it one step at a time, but I am very happy and very proud of the job the team have done," said Hamilton.

"We have been working extremely hard all year and the guys back at the factory have been flat out. Each week at a time, we push them even more. The guys are on the limit, but they did a fantastic job to bring part of the update package here this weekend and clearly it has almost put us on the right road.

"Before we were kind of up a dead end. Now we are on a positive road where we can start exploring this new avenue. Fingers crossed there is light at the end of the tunnel and more success in races to come."

Hamilton admitted his confidence has also received a boost since yesterday, when he tested the new updates for his car for the first time.

"I think my confidence has grown over the last day and a half, to be able to push more and more, and extract more from it knowing that the rear end is not going to slide out like it usually does," he added.

"Generally before the whole car slides off the track, but now it is beginning to work with the tyres - so through that we have found even more time. We have an update that has helped turn the tyres on even more than we have in the past, and that has given us a little bit more time."