• McLaren launch new car at Woking base
• Sutil’s comments are given the brush-off

McLaren launched their new Formula One car before a global audience on Wednesday. And the global audience dutifully gawped in wonder, even though the new creation, the MP4-27, motionless and driverless and tilting sharply to the right, looked as if it had just come off the track at Suzuka’s notorious 130R turn.

McLaren’s more significant relaunch at their glitzy Technology Centre in Woking came in the shape of the sport’s most vivid driver, Lewis Hamilton, who looked a revitalised figure after the most difficult season of his career last year, when he was beset by problems on and off the track.

Hamilton, who was beaten by his team-mate, Jenson Button, for the first time in his McLaren career in a season marked by clashes with stewards and other drivers, has spent much of the winter among the mountains of Colorado.

“I feel fresh,” he said. “I had a really good winter. The team gave me a good bit of time off after such a long season, and obviously we went through a lot. I had friends and family there and was able to find out what they thought and how I could improve. I knew where things were wrong and it’s not easy to clarify them in the mind but I was able to do that. There are still things I’m working on.”

Hamilton, 27 last month, added: “There have been lots of highs and lows but last year was definitely one of he toughest years, personally. And also with the racing. I had a low moment when I lost the championship in 2007 but that was just one moment.

“A lot of it is in the mind. And if you’re clogged up with a lot of things and operating at only 60% there’s a loss of time. But I feel as though I’m back to 100% right now. Last year was one of those years where I had a lot of less energy and less focus where it needed to be. But now the focus is where it needs to be.”

Meanwhile, the 2008 champion has put as much clean air as possible between himself and his former close friend Adrian Sutil after the German driver described him as “a coward”. Sutil was upset by Hamilton’s decision not to testify at the former Force India driver’s two-day trial in Munich this week and hit out after being convicted for causing grievous bodily harm to Eric Lux, chief executive of the Lotus team owners, Genii Capital. After being given an 18-month suspended sentence and fined €200,000 (£167,000) Sutil said: “Lewis is a coward. I do not want to be friends with someone like that. He is for me no man. Even his father sent me a text message and wished me luck for the process. Lewis came with nothing. He has changed his phone number. I could not reach him any more.”

But Hamilton, who did offer a statement for use at the trial, refused to get involved when the issue was raised at Woking on Wednesday. Before Hamilton could answer a question relating to Sutil’s remarks a McLaren spokesman said: “We’ve been told Lewis shouldn’t really go there because it might go under appeal, so can we move on to the next question?”

Hamilton nodded in the direction of the spokesman and said: “I’ll listen to him.”

Sport: Motor sport | guardian.co.uk

• Hamilton leads second practice after Button fastest in first
• Ferraris head Red Bull of world champion Sebastian Vettel

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button were the most impressive drivers in practice at the Yas Marina circuit on Friday, proving too hot for Red Bull and Ferrari ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hamilton finished top of the second, twilight session as Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso came to grief. Hamilton beat Button into second place and the McLarens were followed by the Ferraris of Alonso and Felipe Massa then the Red Bulls of Vettel and Mark Webber.

Vettel and Alonso came off the track at Turn One. Alonso’s accident, in which he broke his rear wing and suspension, caused the session to be halted, though he recovered to finish close behind the McLarens.

The Red Bulls dominated the first part of the session after Force India’s Paul di Resta had been the early leader. By the end of the session the Red Bulls had been the third-fastest cars behind the McLarens and Ferraris.

Button, who has had six podiums including two victories in the past seven races, finished fastest in the first practice session and it was almost another one-two for McLaren, with a late charge from Webber splitting the two cars from the Woking stable.

But it was an unhappy session for Ferrari, with Alonso and Massa spinning off the track. Alonso appeared to have a problem with oversteer and twice ran wide on Turn Eight.

There was a strong drive from Adrian Sutil, whose position at Force India has been the subject of much debate with next year’s contracts due to be announced shortly. Sutil finished seventh in the first session, ahead of Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes, and was eighth with another good drive when the shadows lengthened.

Sport: Motor sport | guardian.co.uk

• Troubled 2011 season shows no sign of improving
• Hamilton admitted personal life affected 2010 season

Lewis Hamilton’s troubled Formula One season shows no sign of relenting after the McLaren driver split with his partner of four years, Nicole Scherzinger. The couple put the break-up down to work pressures.

Hamilton, 26, hinted at his split after the Korean Grand Prix, saying he has received “massive support” from those close to him in the past days in the form of “emails from my brother, my mum and in particular my dad”.

The McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh also hinted at behind-the-scenes troubles, saying that “professionally, he’s happy”.

Asked if there was something else on Hamilton’s mind away from the job, Whitmarsh replied: “I comment on his professional life. He says he is happy, and any other inquiry regarding his state of happiness should be directed to Lewis and not me. He’s had a lot of speculation about him and his private life, which he doesn’t want, and doesn’t welcome I’m sure.”

After the 2010 season, Hamilton admitted his personal life had affected his campaign. “[In my] personal life, the way things have gone hasn’t been as smooth and as happy as in the past,” he said in December. “[When] you’ve not got all the pieces in place it makes it very hard to do other aspects of your life as easily.”

Sport: Motor sport | guardian.co.uk