After Hamilton flopped from pole position in Japan this month in a moment of first-corner madness, there were those who saw history repeating itself and detected an inner fragility behind the polished facade.
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Questions were raised about whether he could see the bigger picture, was susceptible to pressure and mentally equipped to race strategically.
Attacked on all sides by rivals criticising his driving, and with former world champions urging him to calm down, Hamilton showed at Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix he was determined to become Britain's first champion since Damon Hill in 1996.
He took pole position, set the fastest lap and won with ease to head for Brazil with a seven-point cushion over Ferrari's Felipe Massa.
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