A fired-up Lewis Hamilton on Thursday said he was more committed to Formula One than ever, as the seven-time world champion credited his resurgence in form to a change of attitude.
The 41-year-old cut an increasingly embattled and disconsolate figure as he endured a nightmare debut campaign with Ferrari last year, ending a season without a podium finish for the first time in his career.
But Formula One's most successful driver, who ended his podium drought in the second round of the season in China two weeks ago, seems to be relishing the sport’s new rules era, driving every bit like the hungry rookie who made his debut with McLaren in 2007.
"I think it's just a change of attitude, just not letting all the BS that surrounds me coming out of people's mouths, get in the way of knowing who I am and what I'm able to do," the Briton told reporters ahead of the third race of the season at the Suzuka circuit.
"I was in Tokyo between this race and the last race. I ran, like, 100 kilometres. I know that none of the drivers I'm racing against have trained as hard as I have and given it what I have, especially at my age as well.
"I love that, that I still have that drive to push myself. The commitment is there more than ever," he added.
Hamilton, who has won 105 races and took six of his seven titles with former team Mercedes, is fourth in the standings, one point behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
The Monegasque has been Hamilton's main rival over the first two races, with Mercedes again dominant and Ferrari a clear second.
The pair engaged in a fierce but entertaining wheel-to-wheel battle for the podium in China.
Hamilton said it was the most fun he has had racing since his position-swapping battle for the win with former Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg at the 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix.
He compared this season's back-and-forth racing, with drivers passing and repassing each other, to go-karting, describing it as the "best form of racing".
"But that's how racing should be... it shouldn't be like one move is done and that's it," he said.