The rest of the Formula One field take note: Lewis Hamilton is back, and he feels good in his skin again.

Video: Lewis Hamilton wins Montreal GP for third time

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After a 2011 season marked by personal troubles a very public break-up with girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, and tensions surrounding the firing of his manager father, Anthony and several ragged outings on track that saw Hamilton finish a disappointing fifth overall, things are different this year for the 2008 world champion, both on and off the track.

Well, Ive always just said that I was waiting to try and get all the pieces of the puzzle into the right place, getting my life into gear, getting things organized, said a smiling Hamilton, who was relaxed and comfortable talking about his personal turnaround.

I had a lot of bad years. There were certain things that werent right. It took a lot longer to get them right and sorted. I think probably the relationship with my family has made the biggest difference.

Hamilton wouldnt go into detail when asked to elaborate and and only said: Its just better. It was okay before, but its just incredible now.

Scherzinger is also back in his life, cheering him on from the McLaren hospitality area during Sundays 70-lap race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, where the reinvigorated 27-year-old McLaren driver got back onto the top step of the podium. It was a cool, calculated performance reminiscent of his maiden F1 win on the same track in 2007.

Coincidentally, his first victory of 2012 came in the race where he surpassed his hero and F1 legend Ayrton Senna in starts with the famed McLaren team. Three-time world champion Senna raced 96 times for McLaren between 1988 and 1993. He died in a high-speed crash in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola while driving for Williams.

While Hamilton hadnt won until Sunday, the season hasnt exactly been terrible for the British driver. The McLaren ace had two poles and four podiums in six starts prior to Montreal, where his win vaulted him from fourth to first in the championship standings. He now has 88 points. Ferraris Fernando Alonso is second with 86, with Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel third on 85. Drivers get 25 points for a win.

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Hamilton leaves behind personal problems to take victory at Montreal