Fighting Drive in Germany Puts Hamilton Clear at the Top

Lewis Hamilton produced another stunning drive to win the German grand prix and open a four-point gap over Felipe Massa in the formula one world championship here yesterday. Having led from pole for all bar three of the first 50 laps, the British driver had to fight his way back to the front after his McLaren team mistimed their pit stop following an appearance by the safety car.

It was the eighth win of his career, his fourth of the season and, after his victory at Silverstone last week, his second back-to-back success after his triumphs in Canada and the United States last year.

"We've dominated the weekend and everyone has done a fantastic job," he said afterwards. He was flanked on the podium by Renault's Nelson Piquet and Massa, the first time two Brazilians have finished in the top three since Nelson Piquet Sr and Ayrton Senna in 1991. Hamilton had shared the championship lead with the Ferrari pair of Massa and the world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who now trails by seven points after finishing sixth yesterday.

Hamilton should have been brought in for his second pit stop when the safety car came out just after the halfway stage of the race because of a spectacular crash by Toyota's Timo Glock but his team delayed to a point where he surrendered his lead. He rejoined the race on lap 50 with Nick Heidfeld, Piquet, Massa and his team-mate Heikki Kovalainen in front of him.

The blunder left Hamilton needing to overtake Massa and the leading driver Piquet in the final 10 laps but he did so with overtaking manoeuvres that brought gasps of admiration from the spectators.

Hamilton said afterwards: "We probably should have come in. It made it a bit harder for me. But I have complete faith in the team. I nailed it this afternoon when the team told me I had to build a 23-second gap in just seven laps.

"I knew I had to drive over the limit - and I did. But I knew we had the best car this weekend and felt comfortable pushing hard to make up the gap."

There is not likely to be any comeback from the officials after McLaren said that Kovalainen had moved over of his own volition to let Hamilton through into fourth place. Team orders are banned in formula one but the Finn's car was said to have been under performing.

"In the final stint I had to work for today's win," said Hamilton. "When the safety car came out I questioned whether I should pit but I trusted the team to make the best decision on strategy. It didn't quite work out - but I knew we had the pace in the car to keep pushing and I want to say a big thank-you to Heikki, who realized I was quicker before I went past him.

"I was able to slipstream past Felipe and then thought my work was done. Then I had to do it all again to get past Nelson. But I made a couple of textbook moves to get past them both. We couldn't have asked for more today."