Racing legend Damon Hill has hailed Lewis Hamilton’s feat of taking the Formula One crown by telling BBC Sport "he’s a cut above the rest".
Hill was the last Brit to win the drivers’ championship (in 1996) and thinks that the 23-year-old McLaren man has everything it takes to climb to near the top of the list of the sport’s all-time greats.
"Lewis has passed base camp for that ascent and in terms of raw talent I don’t think there is any question," he said.
Hill believes that the fact that Hamilton is "very bright", coupled with having "a good guide in his dad and a great team", will see him improve further next year.
He might need to if he is to avoid another nail-biting finish to the season.
Hamilton only needed to come fifth in the Brazilian Grand Prix to take the title but entering the final lap he found himself in sixth place, thirteen seconds shy of glory.
He overtook the slowing Timo Glock in the final minutes and the rest is history.
