After a dazzling rain-soaked victory at the British Grand Prix a fortnight ago, McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton, thanks to brilliant driving and his mighty FO108V-powered MP4-23, one again jumped to the top step of the podium, this time at the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. Second went to Renault rookie driver Nelson Piquet, a well-timed and executed one-stop allowing him to score the first podium finish of his young career. Third on the day went to Ferrari F2008 driver Felipe Massa.

When the starter extinguished the red lights, the German Grand Prix was on and pole man Hamilton led the screaming pack out of the first turn. Massa was stalking him in second and Heikki Kovalainen was in third. One lap in it was Hamilton, Massa and Kovalainen and BMW’s Robert Kubica. Just behind were Toyota veteran Jarno Trulli, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel. As far as the leading drivers were concerned, Hamilton was the first to dive into pit lane, easily making it out and back into the lead. It was smooth sailing up to lap number 35 when a suspension piece on Timo Glock’s Toyota TF108 failed and violently slammed the car into a wall. Most of the leading cars pitted at this point, although Hamilton did not, now placing the Englishman in a position to make yet another stop before the race was through. Hamilton eventually did stop, but was dropped down to sixth on the leader board. Nonetheless, he pinned the McLaren and made quick work of Heikki Kovalainen, Massa, and lastly, Piquet.

"I would have much preferred an easy and comfortable afternoon out front, but it didn't work out that way," said Hamilton of his come from behind drive. "The team opted for me to stay out and I guess they thought that I could have pulled a gap, but it was a 23 second gap I needed and I had about seven [nine] laps...

"I said 'are you sure about this?' But we all have opinions on certain things and make decisions, and for sure we'll learn from this one and move on for the next race. We had the best and quickest car this weekend, and we came out on top.”

Piquet was beside himself with joy after placing second to Hamilton.

"I don't even know where to start," said the rookie driver. "The car was getting better and better in practice, and we were going well until qualifying, where I didn't have a very good run in the first session, and then when on the second run I got a bit of traffic, and that was it, so I started from the back [in 17th].

"I thought that was how I'd finish my weekend, but then we became quite lucky with these safety car rules. The team did a good decision by pulling me in at the right time. Obviously before the race we had a bit of a gamble between one and two stops, and we had the option when we started the race, and I think it was perfect strategy because if we'd gone for an aggressive, short first stint and tried to overtake in the beginning, I wouldn't have arrived here (on the podium). So we got lucky, and in the end I just maintained my pace."

Fourth in the 67-lap race was German BMW-Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld. Heikki Kovalainene, in the second McLaren, was fifth. Kimi Raikkonen placed a lowly sixth, ahead of Robert Kubica and STR-Ferrari wheelman Sebastien Vettel.

Lewis Hamilton now leads the charge in the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship with 58 points. Felipe Massa is second with 54 ticks with teammate Raikkonen third with 51. BMW rests on fourth with 48 points.