Lewis Hamilton has taken home the win at a rain-soaked British GB, dominating the field for most of the race after starting at fourth on the grid. Coming in second place, albeit more than a minute behind the winner, was BMW’s Nick Heidfeld. In a surprise finish, Honda’s Rubens Barrichello managed to take third spot after a key decision to switch to wet tires. Hamilton’s win, meanwhile, now ties him along with Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen, who finished fourth and 13th respectively at the top of the championship standings with 48 points each.

Disaster is an extreme word, but the reality of Ferrari’s day and weekend at Silverstone was not too far away from that description, with Kimi Raikkonen’s fourth place the only consolation — not to mention both his and Felipe Massa’s joint lead with Hamilton in the drivers’ championship. Raikkonen set the fastest lap of the race and looked on course to challenge Hamilton, until the misguided decision was made to not change his tires at the first pitstop. Massa’s race was an unmitigated disaster; he spun at least five times and finished dead last, the only runner to be lapped twice. “I could hardly keep the car in a straight line,” the Brazilian rued.

One grassy moment aside, from the moment he burst off the grid, Lewis Hamilton’s drive to an ultra-dominant win in the treacherous wet conditions was peerless; more than a minute ahead of second placed Nick Heidfeld, and joined by only one other rival - Honda’s Rubens Barrichello - on the lead lap. The result sets up a tantalizing three-way tie, with the two Ferrari drivers, for the lead of the drivers’ world championship, with BMW’s Robert Kubica only two more points back. Hamilton’s teammate and pole sitter Heikki Kovalainen was less impressive in the wet, spinning twice and finishing a lap down and fifth. “He shouldn’t feel too disappointed because he demonstrated that his racing skills are beyond question,” said team boss Ron Dennis.

Heidfeld drove well, executing some spectacular passing moves and enjoying good strategy decisions to secure his third second place of the 2008 season, albeit more than a minute behind the winner. “Qualifying went well and in the race we did everything right,” said the German, who has often struggled for pace in 2008. Conversely, Kubica’s ultra-consistent season so far hit a snag at Silverstone, and he terminally aquaplaned into the gravel in the race, but he is now just 2 points behind the trio of championship leaders.

At the wheel of the unlikeliest of cars - the mediocre RA108 - Rubens Barrichello drove through the British spray to the 62nd podium of his long career, aided by the astute decisions to switch to the right wet tires, that meant he even passed winner Hamilton at one point. He might even have finished second, if not for a faulty fuel rig. Jenson Button spun on a puddle and into retirement at Bridge corner.

1) Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
2) Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber
3) Rubens Barrichello Honda
4) Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
5) Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes
6) Fernando Alonso Renault
7) Jarno Trulli Toyota
8) Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota

Next step is Germany

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