Lewis Hamilton joined Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa at the top of the formula one drivers' championship after a stunning drive in the wet gave him victory in the British grand prix.
Hamilton, under pressure after failing to score a point in his previous two races, was one of the few drivers to cope with the damp conditions in Northamptonshire. A superb start thrust the British driver from fourth on the grid into second position and he passed his team-mate Heikki Kovalainen, who started on pole, to take the lead as early as lap four.
As havoc ruled around him, Hamilton kept his cool and, despite early pressure from Raikkonen and a scare going across the grass on lap 37, took the chequered flag over a minute ahead of BMW's Nick Heidfeld in second.
"It is by far the best victory I've ever had," said Hamilton. "The conditions were bad and as I was driving I thought, 'If I win this, it will be the best race I've ever done'."
"On my last lap, I could see the crowd starting to rise to their feet, and I was just praying, praying, praying I could get the car round. I want to dedicate this to my family because we all know I've had some troubles of late, so this is for them."
Rubens Barrichello took advantage of Honda's intelligent tyre strategy to take third - his first podium finish in three years - while Raikkonen and Kovalainen picked up points in fourth and fifth. Fernando Alonso, Jarno Trulli and Kazuki Nakajima were also in the points.
"It's fantastic," said Barrichello. "I've never lost the belief I have in me. I've this great feeling. It's like I'm young, I just love the sport. It was obviously a lucky day with the weather, but I love the wet weather conditions. It was a perfect race."
Hamilton joins a list of illustrious British names to win his home race, including Sterling Moss, Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and David Coulthard, the last to triumph in 2000, who failed to complete a lap today.
Hamilton now shares the lead in the drivers' championship, with Massa, who after an eventful race finished out of the points, and Raikkonen all on 48 points. Robert Kubica is two points behind in fourth.
Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/jul/06/lewishamilton.formulaone?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront