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SAO PAULO - Lewis Hamilton says his failure to win the Formula One motor racing championship in China this month has made him more relaxed and stronger ahead of Monday's (NZT) Brazilian title decider.
"It definitely didn't make me more nervous. If anything it took pressure off my shoulders and I think I came out of it even stronger," McLaren's 22-year-old British rookie said today.
"I thought it would knock my confidence and put me on the back foot but I went away and thought about the weekend and I think now I'm even stronger than I was, for whatever reason.
"It was a good learning experience and coming here I feel a lot different compared to the last race.
"In the last race all the pressure was building up and everything was going on, on the Thursday and the Friday, and it wasn't a great weekend.
"But I feel totally relaxed now and fully confident in the team and our ability to challenge for the title," said Hamilton, who relaxed at his parents' home in England after returning from China.
He leads double world champion teammate Fernando Alonso by four points with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen another three behind.
The rookie had a 12-point advantage over Alonso before the race in Shanghai but failed to score points after skidding out on worn tyres. Raikkonen won with Alonso second.
Hamilton had not seen the Interlagos circuit, where Alonso has won the last two titles with Renault, before today.
A big fan of the late Brazilian triple champion Ayrton Senna, who was born in Sao Paulo and lies buried in the city's Morumbi cemetary, Hamilton said the circuit was the first he ever played on his computer.
"I wouldn't say I have a spiritual connection with him but it's just an unusual experience (being here)," he said of Senna.
"All the years I've been watching Formula One, and literally from the beginning of my karting career, I've focused on Senna and I've watched videos.
"To be in his home country, to see how people see him over here and how big he is over here, and finally coming to Brazil for the first time and realising I am on his home turf where his final resting place is, it's quite touching.
"I know my hotel is only a couple of miles from where he is, that's the closest I've ever been to him. So it's quite an unusual experience for me."
Hamilton previously said he hoped to visit the Brazilian's grave after the race, possibly as one McLaren champion paying tribute to another, but he appeared to rule that out today.
"I doubt I'll go because I know I'll be followed," he said.
"So perhaps I'll leave it to another trip."
- REUTERS
