Hamilton continues dream season
The 22-year-old is on course to be Britain's first world champion since Damon Hill in 1996
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Sunday, 17, Jun 2007 09:37
Lewis Hamilton notched up his second straight victory after taking the chequered flag in the US grand prix at Indianapolis.
The boy wonder won a thrilling battle with McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso to finish 1.5 seconds ahead of the two-time world champion.
Hamilton's win puts him ten points ahead of Alonso in the drivers' championship.
Ferrari duo Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen finished third and fourth while Renault's Heikki Kovalainen finished fifth.
Hamilton, starting on pole, produced a flawless display after 73 laps despite a determined effort from Alonso.
The Spaniard was breathing down Hamilton's neck from the first corner but backed off to avoid a crash on the narrow turns.
Hamilton opened up a 2.5 second gap before his first stop on lap 21 before Alonso again went on the offensive.
Alonso appeared frustrated at the pit-stop strategy but came agonisingly close to passing the 22-year-old on lap 38.
The Spaniard and Hamilton were neck-and-neck on the main straight but the Briton pushed him out to the right to stop him from overtaking.
Hamilton held his nerve in the remaining laps to win the race and clinch a sensational seven podium finishes in seven races.
The victory is the first by a British driver in America for 24 years.
Hamilton once again overshadowed the other Britons with David Coulthard retiring on lap three after his Red Bull car was bumped by Ralf Schumacher's Toyota.
Anthony Davidson finished 11th for Super Aguri, one place ahead of Honda's Jenson Button.
Round eight of the season takes place in Magny-Cours in France on July 1st.