After a run of five consecutive points finishes, Lewis Hamilton is bullish about his chances of beating world champion Sebastian Vettel in this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
"I go to every race believing I can win it," says Lewis, "and that never changes. I'm massively excited about Abu Dhabi because I've always been quick there and I love the layout and the setting. It's one of the most glamorous races on the calendar and I've never won there, so I'll be doing everything in my power to make that happen on Sunday."
Two years ago Lewis started the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole position, but retired with a brake problem, and he finished second in 2010 after setting fastest lap. Had he not been held up behind Robert Kubica last year, he might have challenged eventual winner Sebastian Vettel.
"In the past it's been difficult to overtake at this track," says Lewis. "Fernando [Alonso] and I had problems last year, but I think the DRS zone should improve the situation this year. We should be able to pass at the end of the long back straight, so we should have an exciting race."
The track has an eclectic mix of corners and speeds. On four occasions around the lap the cars reach 180mph, but there are also six corners taken at less than 60mph. Mechanical grip and traction are at a premium if you want to be competitive.
"I think our car will be really quick," says Lewis. "We've got good traction, we've got really good blown diffuser and KERS systems, and we've got a good DRS system. I'm confident that I'll have the equipment to get the job done.
"You need to be totally committed to get a lap time. Turn 1 is fast and you're then flat-out over the crest at Turn 2. That's pretty much it for fast corners, but that doesn't mean the rest of the track isn't challenging. Through some of the slow corners you have to drive the car like a kart, which is fun, and you always have to be very precise with your line because many of the corners are inter-linked."
The circuit winds its way around Yas Marina and the spectacular Yas Hotel, and the race has the added benefit of being the only twilight grand prix of the year. It starts in daylight at 5pm local time and finishes under the cover of darkness two hours later.
"The changing light is what makes the race unique," says Lewis. "You start in bright sunshine and end in the dark, with the bright lights of the Yas Hotel lighting up the sky. It's pretty amazing, although it presents you with a problem in terms of what visor to use. Some drivers place a dark tear-off over a clear visor to give them the best of both worlds, but I prefer to use a clear visor throughout. It's a clever tint because I can see out, but you can't see in!"
And there will be plenty of people trying to see in because the race is expected to be a sell-out.
"What's extraordinary about this race," says Lewis, "is the number of tourists in the crowd. There's a core of locals, but there are a lot of people from abroad as well, and particularly from
Britain. That gives the race a great atmosphere. What I need to do now is win and give them something to cheer about!"