Oscar Piastri has enjoyed his first drive in the new Formula One McLaren and offered the bold declaration: "I do think that I can become world champion this year."
Asserting he's a different driver to 12 months ago, the Australian, who won two grand prix last year while finishing fourth in the championship, explained how he expected "much more" this year as he took the new MCL39 for its first spin at Silverstone.
Lando Norris, his more experienced teammate who finished runner-up behind Max Verstappen last year, is the UK bookmakers' favourite to take the title this year.
But while local hero Norris was the centre of attention at the home of the British Grand Prix during McLaren's promotional filming day on Thursday, 23-year-old Piastri, fourth favourite with the bookies, was quick to remind everyone about his own lofty ambitions for 2025.
"I want to win the world championship this year," said Piastri, who can't wait to start his season in front of his home Melbourne crowd in a month's time at the Australian Grand Prix in the car he now believes could transport him to the ultimate prize of being the first home world champion since Alan Jones in 1980.
"We are starting on a clean slate and I do think that I can become world champion this year.
"I feel like 12 months ago I was going into the season still with some weaknesses that I wasn't particularly confident with.
"I think through last season I addressed them."
Saying it had been "great" to get behind the wheel of the MCL39 for the first time, Piastri teased about the "new innovations" McLaren had introduced to make the car even better than the MCL38 in which he and Norris wrapped up the team's first constructors' crown since 1998.
"We've not stood still. There's some things that are different, some new innovations on this car and that's what you need to do to try and stay at the top.
"I think also through last season we came out on top in the constructors' championship but it was so tight throughout the whole season so you really can't afford to stand still. There's a lot of teams waiting to try and overtake us.
"I am definitely going into this year with the aim and preparation for trying to challenge for a championship, and trying to challenge for both championships.
"Winning grands prix early in my career has given me the taste for success and I want much more," added the man who won his first two grand prix in Hungary and Azerbaijan last year.
Piastri said he felt refreshed after "probably the longest trip I've had back in Australia since I left home about 10 years ago" as he enjoyed watching tennis and cricket with friends.
"I'm very excited to have it back as round one," he said. "I'm probably glad it wasn't the opener in my rookie season because that would have been pretty full on."
Teammate Norris, while looking forward to not giving an inch in another "elbows out" battle with Verstappen, also recognised the tough challenge he was going to get from his own teammate.
"I know Oscar is hungry for a championship and every driver is and for sure he's capable of winning a championship," said Norris.
"Everyone knows that we want to beat each other and you want to be the top dog in the team and that's normal, that's the expectation."
Team principal Andrea Stella was happy about the potential internal rivalry. "I really look forward to have this kind of challenge," he said, when asked about managing the pair of them.
