Lewis Hamilton has dismissed suggestions that his post-race disappointment in Australia was a sign that he had not banished the off-track issues that affected him last year.
The Briton was hugely downbeat after finishing third in Australia, with observers such as David Coulthard suggesting that it was evidence that Jenson Button had gained the upper hand at the team. But Hamilton brushed off such claims, saying that he was fully justified in being so unhappy at failing to convert his pole position in to a victory.
"I had just worked massively hard over the winter – harder than I ever worked – and the result of the race didn't go the way I wanted it to," said Hamilton, who finished behind Button and Sebastian Vettel. "I think it was fair to be disappointed. I don't feel that I should have to disguise that."
Hamilton has explained that a number of factors, including a clutch problem off the line and the wrong setup, spoiled his chances of battling Button for the win.
"It was a weekend where I started on pole, and there were two or three things that went wrong in the race that were out of my control. I felt I performed quite well and definitely would have liked to have had my car in a slightly difference position in the setup and race, but I will alter that this weekend so it shouldn't be a problem.
"I had too much oversteer in high-speed [corners], and had a different front wing setup to Jenson, which I had chosen – and it wasn't the right one.
"Qualifying had been great, and the car can definitely be better in the race – which it will be this weekend. It was just a few things that didn't go my way, but that is motor racing."
Hamilton believes that McLaren could be in even better shape in Malaysia this weekend than they were in Australia.
"Our car is quite good in the high-speed corners, as it was in Barcelona testing, although it is also quite good in the low-speed stuff. I think we should be quite competitive this week, and it should feel better than it did last time."