Hamilton ecstatic after Spa victory

The McLaren driver won for the third time in 2010, moving himself into a four-point championship lead over Mark Webber, who finished second, after a dominant drive in changeable weather conditions.

"I am so happy, so grateful to be in this position," said Hamilton. "If you have things like that in a race like that it can be a lottery.

"To come out on top, even facing a difficult situation - and one I was blessed to get away with, I am so happy, so ecstatic."

Hamilton said that he had feared the worst when he slid off the track at Rivage on slick tyres on lap 35, just after a second rain shower of the race had begun.

Fortunately for him, he kept his car moving, just skimming the tyre wall on the edge of the gravel trap without doing his McLaren any damage.

"The conditions were really tricky when it started to rain," he added. "I was losing temperature in the tyres and not knowing how hard to push. I braked late and locked a wheel and went wide in Turn 8.

"I made it all the way out to the wall and just clipped it with the edge of my wing. I was fortunate to get away with that, it was so slippery out there - there was nothing you could do, just tip-toe around.

"Overall the team did a remarkable job this weekend, constantly pushing. In some places we were not as fast as these guys [Webber and Robert Kubica], but it's great that when we are close we can maximise it. I am so happy to be up here."

Hamilton had hoped to finish the race behind the safety car, so as to preserve his lead during the latter stages. He said that the final few laps required a huge amount of concentration.

"I was hoping the safety car would stay out longer. Fortunately though, it stopped raining and the track got better.

"In the end I was nursing car home, bringing it home in one piece, and just concentrating on keeping small gap between myself and Mark. It's good."