LEWIS HAMILTON hailed what he described as McLaren's "best weekend" this season following a superb German Grand Prix victory.
Hamilton went from cruise control to fighting like a tiger to take the chequered flag at Hockenheim following a horror smash involving Toyota's Timo Glock on lap 35 of the 67-lap race. In front of his home fans, Glock hurtled backwards into a concret
e wall along the start-finish straight after a section of the right rear of his car gave way emerging out of the final corner.
It brought the safety car into play, with McLaren's strategists at the team's headquarters in Woking deciding he did not need to stop when the pit lane re-opened, unlike 11 others who dived in. That almost cost Hamilton as the safety car stayed out longer than anticipated, so when he did finally pit for a second time 17 laps from home, he was relegated from the lead to fifth.
Although Hamilton was aided by team-mate Heikki Kovalainen allowing him by, and a Nick Heidfeld pit stop, he showed frightening pace to catch and stunningly pass Felipe Massa and Nelson Piquet junior late on.
"I think it has been our best weekend up until now," said Hamilton who was dominant in practice and qualifying. "We have been very strong throughout, as we were in the recent test here.
Now it's on to the next race, with Hungary a very good one for us, so fingers crossed."
Renault's Piquet jnr held on for second for the result of his career, keeping at bay Massa who now trails Hamilton by four points in the drivers' standings.
Behind the leading trio came Heidfeld, followed by Finns Kovalainen and Kimi Raikkonen in his Ferrari, who is seven points behind Hamilton.
Scotland's David Coulthard and Englishman Jenson Button could only manage 13th and 17th for Red Bull and Honda respectively.
Glock, initially given the all clear following his accident, should be released from a local hospital today following an overnight stay as a precaution.
The full article contains 346 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
