Canadian Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton admits he couldn't have managed a one-stop strategy

The McLaren driver had to charge back to first place after having made his second stop after rival Fernando Alonso decided to stop just once.

Hamilton erased a gap of over 14 seconds and passed the Ferrari with ease to become the seventh Formula 1 winner in 2012.

The Briton praised his team for the strategy, and he conceded stopping just once would have been a mistake for him.

"I think the team did a great job with the pitstops and the strategy," said Hamilton. "I was very, very surprised that I was able to look after the tyres and push at the times I needed to push. I was surprised in the first stint. I knew Fernando was the one to beat. He has generally great pace on long runs.

"I was not able to do one stop, I think I would have fallen back, so I think a two-stop was just right."

He added: "Of course we were aware of that. We went into the race knowing we would be doing two stops and when the guys were behind me I had a feeling that Fernando would be doing one stop. I knew I had to make a gap while looking after the tyres, even though Fernando was picking his pace up. It was one of the best stints I had."

The McLaren driver, who had failed to win a race until today despite having started from pole position twice this year, was elated after securing his second victory where he achieved his first grand prix triumph in 2007.

"What a feeling," said Hamilton. "This is where I won my first grand prix. I knew it would be tough, I loved ever single minute and I am really grateful.

"It was one of the most enjoyable races I have had until now and I was just thinking today to finish at the front as I did with my first win would be very, very special for me. I could not believe it when I crossed the line. The feeling inside was like an explosion, that is what I like about racing."

Despite stopping one more time than his main rivals Hamilton said he never doubted he could win the race.

"I never had a doubt in my mind that there was no possibility to win, but I was thinking that these guys were quite far behind so assumed they were doing one stop," he said.

The McLaren driver now leads the championship from Alonso by two points.