Hamilton victory puts McLaren back on track

Mar 17, 2008, 16:08 GMT

British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of McLaren Mercedes during the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia, 16 March 2008. Lewis Hamilton of McLaren Mercedes won, German Nick Heidfeld of BMW Sauber finished the race in second place and German Nico Rosberg of Williams third. EPA/Roland Weihrauch

Melbourne, Australia - Lewis Hamilton's victory at the Australian Grand Prix has shown he is the man to beat in Formula One, while Ferrari have to recover from a disastrous start to the season.

That's the view of most observers after the 23-year-old Briton steered his McLaren to victory with relative ease in a race which saw most of the field succumb to driver errors or mechanical problems.

Hamilton said he enjoyed his second outing in Melbourne after making a triumphant return to the scene of his Formula One debut last season when he finished third.

'If I needed to have pushed more I could,' he said. 'But I was quite happy and quite comfortable driving at the pace I was at,' he said after a race in which he starting from pole and successfully negotiating three safety-car periods.

There were plaudits from the world's media, with British media saying Hamilton's victory was also a huge boost for McLaren following last season's 'spygate' scandal which cost the team a 100-million-dollars fine and all its points in the constructors' championship.

'In the end, the Australian Grand Prix was not just about Lewis Hamilton's brilliantly driven fifth career victory, which catapulted him into the lead of the world championship as Ferrari stumbled here in Melbourne yesterday. It was also about the rehabilitation of (team principal) Ron Dennis and McLaren,' the Belfast Telegraph wrote.

The Times said: 'Lewis Hamilton put a line under McLaren's tumultuous last season with an emphatic opening-season victory in the Australian Grand Prix as world champions Ferrari melted in Melbourne's furnace heat on Sunday.'

The Guardian meanwhile said Hamilton did more than win the Australian Grand Prix.

'He made such a vivid statement that it might have been motor sport's answer to Barack Obama, and its thrilling eloquence will still be making a noise in Kimi Raikkonen's ear at Malaysia's Sepang International Stadium in six days' time.'

The Age in Australia said: 'Hamilton's imperious victory was, in all likelihood, a preview of many more dominant performances this season, such was the assurance with which he drove.'

It added: 'While Raikkonen's red machine wilted in the heat, Hamilton's McLaren combined pace-setting speed with bullet-proof reliability to form an ominous combination.'

Italian's press meanwhile agreed it was a dismal start for Ferrari with world champion Raikkonen of Finland and Brazilian team-mate Felipe Massa both suffering mechanical problems.

With only seven cars finishing, Raikkonen was nevertheless able to claim eighth place for a point.

'Ferrari under shock. Two engines failed ... Hamilton controlled the race,' said Corriere dello Sport.

'Triumph for Hamilton ... nightmare for Ferrari,' wrote Gazzetta dello Sport. 'Just about the only one who didn't make any mistakes was Hamilton. He won, fully deservedly, after he had fought for pole position and completely dominated the race at the wheel of a perfect McLaren.'

Hamilton was meanwhile pleased to be joined on the podium by Williams driver Nico Rosberg of Germany, a former team-mate in junior racing, who was behind fellow German Nick Heidfeld in a BMW.

And he was already looking forward to next Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix.

'I never would have thought it would be as physically a breeze as it was,' he said of his victory in Melbourne.

'It was great preparation for Malaysia next weekend, so bring it on. I'm really looking forward to it.'