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Lewis Hamilton is throwing himself into the challenge of helping McLaren build what he hopes will be a race-winning car again for next year.
A considerable degree of focus and resources have been switched to the 2010 model in recent weeks given the realisation the team are not making any headway on improving the current product.
There remains a determination to understand just where they took a wrong turn in developing the car, and with world champion Hamilton doing all he can to assist.
'I've a fair bit of input,' remarked Hamilton.
'With the aerodynamics they have all the input there, but from me, I just raise questions that perhaps they had not thought about.
'I make sure I'm clear on what they are doing, with the controls, the steering wheel, seat position and pedals and what I want as a driver in the car, what they need to give me.
'Sometimes you are given a car and sometimes it's good and you just drive it, and then sometimes you get in a car and you just can't do anything with it because you don't feel comfortable.
'So it's about giving them the information they need. We have to make sure we work on that, that we understand what we need and then build around that.'
With Hamilton far from in the title picture this season, that is further aiding the cause.
'I've definitely more time to think about the other bits, to focus on that aspect of things,' added the 24-year-old.
As for Hamilton's personal focus on next year, that will not come into play until nearer the end of this season.
But unlike last year when he opted to miss the pre-Christmas tests in the wake of his title triumph, that will not happen this year.
'I will probably do them - I'm sure I'll be doing them,' assessed Hamilton.
'Last year, I don't know whether it would have made such a huge difference, and it was good to have the break as I'd had two years flat out with not really much in between.
'So I took that bit of time off, not particularly anticipating such a bad season and knowing what was coming up.
'But going into next year, I want to have as much involvement as possible because at the end of the day I'm the one that's going to be in the car.'
As for the here and now, Sunday's German Grand Prix looms large at a circuit where Hamilton endured the worst accident of his career two years ago.
It was during Saturday qualifying at the Nurburgring that Hamilton ploughed nose first into a tyre barrier at 175mph after a faulty airgun led to the front-right wheel working loose.
Hamilton was taken to the hospital with bruising to his chest, and although cleared to race, he finished ninth, out of the points and off the podium for the first time in his debut year.
Reflecting, Hamilton said: '2007 wasn't spectacular.
'It was quite an experience - head-on into the barrier. It was as bad as I have ever had a crash.
'I've had other crashes where perhaps I've hit the wall harder, but in a different way.
'In Valencia (in testing prior to his first race) I crashed, but I went in backwards so you could brace yourself, and I got out of it straight away.
'Whereas this one, I went in head-on, so I only had the seatbelts supporting me. It was definitely the biggest knock I've ever had, and I still remember that day.'
Underlining the racer that is Hamilton, he added: 'I was just thinking 'How long is left of qualifying so I can get in the spare car?'
'It was my only thought, to get back into the spare car. Back in the day they would have allowed me to.
'I would've happily got in the car and finished my last qualifying lap. That's what I should have been able to do.'
