McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton lived the dream last season in what turned out to be a nightmare for Woking-based team.

Now, a year on after the team were sensationally fined £50million, a less-stressed Hamilton is determined to turn that dream into the ultimate fantasy by winning the Formula One world title.

"There's a huge difference this year compared to last," Hamilton said. "We've moved on. There's a much better feeling being here, and we are challenging for the world championship, not just trying to stay in it."

It was on the Thursday of last year's Belgian Grand Prix Hamilton found himself in Paris at the headquarters of world governing body, the FIA, rather than preparing for the race in Spa.

The 23-year-old opted to support McLaren in their defence of the spying scandal that had engulfed the team's season from which they came within a whisker of being thrown out of the championship.

Instead, the team were forced to pay a sporting record fine and stripped of all constructors' points, affecting a young Hamilton in his rookie campaign.

This season the pressure is still there, but of a different kind as it is merely a case of handling the title scenario, and not coping with everything else also going on in the background.

"Last year when I walked the track I didn't even know if I would be racing, whereas this year we don't have any of those stresses," he added.

"We're a strong team with a real good atmosphere throughout, and we are 100 per cent committed to winning the championship."