Highlights

Title talk follows Hamilton's Formula One heroics

(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-04-17 09:11

Briton Lewis Hamilton etched his name into the Formula One record books on Sunday as he became the first man to claim three podium finishes in his first three races in the sport.

The 22-year-old Briton, the first man of Afro-Caribbean descent to race in Formula One and the second black driver after Indian Narain Karthikeyan, had finished third and second in his two previous races to date.

Here in Bahrain he followed that up with another second place after starting a Grand Prix on the front row for the first time alongside pole sitter and eventual winner Ferrari's Brazilian driver Felipe Massa.

"I'm very pleased with the result," said Hamilton. "To have finished on the podium three times out of three is fantastic.

Before Sunday's race the talented rookie earned the praise of Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who thought that the Stevenage-born Hamilton would be the next superstar of Formula One.

As well as making history here in Sakhir, Hamilton, the 2006 GP2 champion, vaulted himself into a share of the lead in the driver's championship alongside his teammate and double world drivers champion Fernando Alonso. Those two, along with Ferrari's Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen, are locked on 22 points.

McLaren Mercedes-Benz CEO Martin Whitmarsh was full of praise for his young star's performance: "We have two drivers in our team now contending for the drivers' championship," he said.

"I think people at the start thought Lewis was clearly a very fast driver, and he started very, very strongly. But we all have to conclude now that he is a serious title challenger this year."

Hamilton's consistency has been hugely impressive and it is clear to see that he has earned the full confidence and backing of his British based team.

"He will of course want to go one better soon and win a race, but I don't think any of us doubt that it is going to be achieved some time this season," Whitmarsh added.

Above all, Hamilton has shown he can cope with all the pressure - and in Bahrain on Sunday he had to cope with a tricky, slippery, sandy track and was not overawed when Felipe Massa eventually started to pull away following his first pit-stop where he was restricted by a heavy fuel load.

He recovered and chased his more experienced Ferrari counterpart to the line, closing the gap to just 2.5 seconds by the end.