Hamilton upbeat about McLaren pace

"From the moment we hit the track this morning, the car felt well balanced and positive - and that really allowed me to get into my day's programme without any problems," said Hamilton, who dominated both practice sessions to enjoy a perfect start to the weekend.

"No matter what we changed on the car, it just kept getting better and better and the grip and balance kept improving.

"This is the best possible way to kick off any weekend and has given me extra confidence for the next few days: I feel in a very good place right now," added the Briton.

Hamilton, five points ahead of Felipe Massa in the standings, could clinch the title this weekend if he outscores the Brazilian by six points.

Hamilton's teammate Heikki Kovalainen was also encouraged by his practice performance despite finishing down in 13th position.

"The circuit felt surprisingly dirty and dusty this morning, but everything went well in both sessions," he said. "We were immediately quick - which is always encouraging - and spent both sessions just working on the balance of the car.

"I'm fully focused on the job ahead of us in the next two races and today shows that we have started well. I'm looking forward to the rest of the weekend and feel positive we can achieve another good result."