'Resilience reason for win'

Lewis Hamilton on a high after Malaysian Grand Prix victory.

SEPANG: Lewis Hamilton said his ability to rise from adversity had helped him claim a long-awaited win in Malaysia that installed him as championship favourite and put Mercedes back on top of Formula One.

The 29-year-old Briton led wire to wire for his first victory at the steamy Sepang circuit in eight attempts.

It was far from a classic race, but the win ended the 2008 world champion's eight-month barren streak and confirmed he is ready to challenge seriously for a second Formula One title.

And there were celebrations at Mercedes as the famed Silver Arrows brand climbed to the top of the constructors' ladder with their first one-two since pulling out of the sport in the 1950s.

"Incredibly happy with my first victory here,” said Hamilton, who finished 17 seconds ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg with world champion Sebastian Vettel third. “It's my eighth year here and I finally got that win.

"I really just owe it all to the team... it's quite special when you get a one-two. I've not had many in my career and so that makes it even more special."

Despite the win, Hamilton, who retired at the season-opener in Australia, remains behind Rosberg in the standings and he will be aware of the resurgence of Vettel, winner of the past four championships.

The German's Red Bull team have struggled with Formula One's complex new engines but they showed they are back in the hunt with Vettel's first podium finish of the year.

"I think it's a question of time, how soon we manage to catch up,” warned Vettel. “And then we will try to give them a harder time.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2014.

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