Lewis Hamilton is adamant his world title bid is stronger this year as he is no longer floating away with the fairies.
Hamilton may have set all kinds of rookie records during his debut season, including a run of nine successive podium finishes, but it ultimately ended in heartache.
The British sensation missed out on the world title by a point to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen at the end of the final race in Brazil.
Although it will long remain an astonishing campaign, on reflection the 23-year-old McLaren star knows there were times when he was far from grounded as the occasion got the better of him.
Asked as to what he feels makes him a stronger title contender this year, with him currently five points clear of Raikkonen at the top of the standings, Hamilton replied: "The knowledge.
"Last year I was on cloud nine the whole year. I remember last year coming back after the summer break and I was still floating.
"This weekend I have my feet on the ground. I've not done anything crazy over the last two weeks, just relaxed.
"I know what I have to do, and that is to hit this race hard.''
Hamilton has already stated this week consistency will be the key to any title triumph as all the frontrunners have made mistakes to date.
An error-free end to the season akin to his start last year, when he enjoyed his podium run, will go a long way to seeing him crowned F1 king.
"I was looking at my results from last year and for the first nine or 12 races it was quite unreal,'' added Hamilton.
"Who knows, we might have that another year, but I think this year everyone has pretty much had the same sort of run, especially us guys at the front.
"We are all pushing very, very hard. It's a closer season than it was last year.
"All the teams are perhaps pushing even more to the edge and that's where you really see mistakes starting to happen.
"This year there are lots of opportunities to make mistakes and there are also lots of unknowns - new circuits, lots of different things with the car.''
One of those new circuits will be savoured for the first time today with the first two practice sessions for the European Grand Prix that takes place around Valencia's marina.
Hamilton certainly gained a good first impression from a track walk yesterday, although it proved an uncomfortable one as temperatures hit 35 degrees centigrade.
"It was roasting. I was sweating my arse off just walking around,'' smiled Hamilton.
"But they (the organisers) have done a really good job. It doesn't remind me of any circuit I have seen.
"It is just completely different to any circuit I have ever been to.
"People are saying it is like Monaco, but it's nothing like Monaco. It's three times faster.''
Yesterday, though, ended on a sour note for Hamilton as he was fined 5,000 euros (Ј4,000) by world governing body the FIA after turning up 90 seconds late for the main press conference.
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