Hamilton dedicates win to dad

MONTREAL – Lewis Hamilton dedicated his maiden Formula One race victory to his father Anthony after cruising to an assured, cool and measured triumph in the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The 22-year-old British rookie, the most successful newcomer in the sport’s history, said he felt “fantastic” and “on a different planet” after emerging clear of his rivals following a dramatic and incident-filled 70-laps contest at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. He even said that driving around and keeping his concentration during the four periods in which he was leading while following a Safety Car was “boring”.Hamilton said: “It has been a fantastic day for me and my family – this is history.To come here for my first visit to Canada and to win – it has been just a fantastic feeling and this season already we have had six podiums.”I felt that I have been ready for this win now for quite some time and for me it was just a matter of when and where.The team gave me the best car and it was great.I had no problems at all during the race.”A few Safety Cars were there, but that’s all – they made it a little bit boring at some points.But as soon as we got going again, it was exciting again.Yesterday (Saturday) I was over the moon, yes, to get pole.But today (Sunday), this is definitely on a different planet for me.”Hamilton’s father Anthony has looked after his career for the last 15 years and at one time held down three jobs in order to help fund his son.And he could hardly have expected this sort of return from his first six races in Formula One with a third place in Australia followed by four seconds in Malaysia, Bahrain, Spain and Monaco and then this stunning victory.The first man of Afro-Caribbean descent to race a Formula One car claimed his maiden victory with an ssured drive in his McLaren Mercedes-Benz.No wonder sports writers all over the world are predicting a phenomenal career for the youngster from Stevenage in Hertfordshire, England, and also dubbing him as F1’s answer to golf’s black superstar Tiger Woods.Hamilton’s superb win lifted him eight points clear of world champion and teammate Fernando Alonso and 15 ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa of Ferrari.In the constructors’ championship, McLaren lead now with 88 points to Ferrari’s 60.Nampa-AFPHe even said that driving around and keeping his concentration during the four periods in which he was leading while following a Safety Car was “boring”.Hamilton said: “It has been a fantastic day for me and my family – this is history.To come here for my first visit to Canada and to win – it has been just a fantastic feeling and this season already we have had six podiums.”I felt that I have been ready for this win now for quite some time and for me it was just a matter of when and where.The team gave me the best car and it was great.I had no problems at all during the race.”A few Safety Cars were there, but that’s all – they made it a little bit boring at some points.But as soon as we got going again, it was exciting again.Yesterday (Saturday) I was over the moon, yes, to get pole.But today (Sunday), this is definitely on a different planet for me.”Hamilton’s father Anthony has looked after his career for the last 15 years and at one time held down three jobs in order to help fund his son.And he could hardly have expected this sort of return from his first six races in Formula One with a third place in Australia followed by four seconds in Malaysia, Bahrain, Spain and Monaco and then this stunning victory.The first man of Afro-Caribbean descent to race a Formula One car claimed his maiden victory with an ssured drive in his McLaren Mercedes-Benz.No wonder sports writers all over the world are predicting a phenomenal career for the youngster from Stevenage in Hertfordshire, England, and also dubbing him as F1’s answer to golf’s black superstar Tiger Woods.Hamilton’s superb win lifted him eight points clear of world champion and teammate Fernando Alonso and 15 ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa of Ferrari.In the constructors’ championship, McLaren lead now with 88 points to Ferrari’s 60.Nampa-AFP