Hamilton says F1 title can be his

"After having all these discussions I just feel relaxed and that the team are moving forward," the championship leader told reporters at the Istanbul Park circuit on Friday.

"I have no doubt that I have a great opportunity to win the championship.

"I'm in the best spot, I've got a great team and a great car and I'm very competitive. As long as I don't make any mistakes, I don't see why I can't win it."

Hamilton, 22, is seven points clear of double world champion Alonso with six races remaining including Sunday's. McLaren are also leading the constructors' standings.

The two men were not on speaking terms after the previous round in Hungary, where Alonso and McLaren were penalised following a controversial qualifying session in which the Spaniard impeded his teammate.

While Hamilton won, Alonso finished fourth and McLaren were denied all their constructors' points from the Hungaroring.

The team called a meeting in Istanbul on Thursday and both drivers met face to face to bury the hatchet for the first time since the summer break.

"After the last race I called Fernando and said 'look, we can't go through the next three weeks without talking, or relying on what the media are saying, saying we're at war'," Hamilton said.

"They were twisting things he had said, were twisting things I had said, and it made it seem as if we're at war. We're not."

The two were unable to schedule a meeting during the break but Alonso agreed with his teammate's version of events.

"Everything is okay now and the past is the past," said the Spaniard.

"I talked with Lewis and we had to laugh. It's not a funny thing, but how we have been in the press all summer creating this fight with each other. We try to understand why everyone wants to put us in a fight, it is not the truth."

Hamilton described their meeting as 'really relaxed and chilled'.

"I put my hands up and apologised for everything that went on at the last race, and he said 'yeah, me too'.

"It was a discussion rectifying that we do have respect for each other. The respect is there no doubt. He said 'I have no problems with you', and it is the same for me," added the rookie.

Hamilton said nobody wanted a repeat of what had happened in Hungary and he had learned from his mistakes and was determined to raise his game in and out of the car.

"I'm not saying that all of a sudden everything is bright, but we've come back and all settled our differences and where we want to go," said the Briton.

"The team and myself want to move forward, so we've put it all in the past.

"I feel very comfortable and confident that we both have the opportunity to go out and battle each other. That's what racing is all about."