Hamilton triumphs in British Grand Prix

SILVERSTONE, England -- Lewis Hamilton led from lap four for McLaren to claim his first British Grand Prix triumph in stunning style and take a share of the lead in the world drivers championship.

In a race full of spins and near misses at rain-soaked Silverstone on Sunday, Hamilton lapped all but two of the field and finished more than a minute ahead of Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber.

Honda's Rubens Barrichello was third.

Hamilton's third victory of the season means that he is now level on 48 points with Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen -- he finished fourth -- in the drivers championship.

Brazilian Massa, who spun at least five times in the race, came last of the 13 finishers and failed to pick up a point. Hamilton takes the number one spot overall because of their head-to-head finishes in other races

Hamilton has also won in Australia and Monaco this season, but said of his Silverstone success: "It is by far the best victory I've ever had."

"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. This morning, I wasn't feeling great," added Hamilton, who becomes the first Englishman to win the British GP since Johnny Herbert in 1995.

"It wasn't until I got to the track and I saw family, friends and fans, and I started to get energy, so I have to say thanks to all of them."

After his third podium of the season, a delighted Heidfeld said: "You could see during the race there was different drivers quick at different times.

"We had a one-two in Canada, but then France was not so good, but it was better today and I'm happy with the way I drove."

With torrential rain and standing water in places, the start was as dramatic as could have been expected with conditions the worst experienced since last year's monsoon-hit Japan.

Heikki Kovalainen and Red Bull's Mark Webber were slow away from the front row of the grid, allowing Hamilton to seize his opportunity.

With Raikkonen baulked behind Kovalainen, Hamilton flashed past him and Australian Webber, and had his nose in front of his McLaren team-mate heading out of first corner Copse.

But Kovalainen had the line, and after brushing tyres with Hamilton he managed to sneak ahead, leaving Hamilton to file behind in the spray that kicked up off the sodden tarmac.

There was further drama behind as Webber spun, swiftly followed by Felipe Massa who had started ninth, whilst Coulthard's final British race was one to forget.

The Scot, who announced on Thursday he is to retire at the end of the season, attempted to pass the Toro Rosso of Sebastian Vettel, only to clip the German, sending them into the gravel where they remained.

"I'm truly disappointed," said Coulthard. "I'm sorry for the team. I went for a gap and didn't make the move, coming together with Sebastian, so taking out two Red Bulls. In a race like that you have to take your opportunities when they come, but unfortunately it was a bad decision."

Hamilton then continued to hound Kovalainen, and after Massa spun for a second time on lap three to the back of the field, the Briton made his move on the Finn going into Copse.

To the delight of the fans, Hamilton made it stick and proceeded to pull away from Kovalainen, who then gave up second place on lap 10 by spinning at Abbey, allowing Raikkonen to pass.

Over the following 10 laps, approaching one-third distance, the 28-year-old Raikkonen began to reel in Hamilton until he was within a second when they pitted together on lap 21.

Raikkonen opted not to change his tires, in contrast to Hamilton as his team went for fresh rubber, and it proved the correct decision.

Within three laps the rain started to fall again, leaving Raikkonen with limited tread and barely able to cope with a wet track. Hamilton then began to take five and six seconds per lap out of his rival.

Raikkonen was soon passed by Kubica and Nelson Piquet in his Renault before finally diving into the pits for a second time for a desperately-needed fresh set of tyres.

Then the rain threw down, sending Piquet spinning out, whilst Hamilton, Massa, Raikkonen and Kubica all had their nervy moments before the Pole hurtled into the gravel on lap 40 and out of the race. Kubica's exit was soon followed by Nico Rosberg in his Williams and Jenson Button, sliding off in his Honda.

But all the while Hamilton marched on imperiously, lapping Kovalainen, Raikkonen and Alonso who were running sixth, fifth and fourth respectively at the time on lap 52.

From that moment it was all Hamilton with only Heidfeld and Barrichello on the same lap. Behind Raikkonen -- who becomes the seventh driver to top 500 career points in F1 -- came Kovalainen, Alonso, Toyota's Jarno Trulli and Kazuki Nakajima in his Williams.