Hamilton delighted with sixth position

The McLaren driver made his way through the field after starting from 20th place following a strategic mistake during qualifying.

"Not a bad finish from 20th on the grid," Hamilton said after the race. "If we were further up I think we would have had a better race, but I think it was a real great job by the team and the car was fantastic here this weekend. It's a positive thing going into the next race.

"I'm very, very happy with that result. I think to come from 20th on the grid to sixth, I don't know how many points that is, but it's definitely a good result.""

The Briton was stuck behind Force India's Adrian Sutil during the latter part of the event, but admitted the German's car was simply too quick down the straights to try to pass him.

"I was pretty much quicker than him but he was very smart on the exits and down the straights he was too fast," Hamilton added.

Team-mate Jenson Button also had to make his way to the front in the race after a disappointing qualifying session, but the Briton's cause was not helped by a poor start.

The world champion went on to finish in eighth position.

"I got a terrible start and I think I made a mistake going to the option tyre because I had no rear grip at all. In the high speed it was terrible," Button said.

"So I just couldn't overtake. I lost a lot of time at the start.

"I pitted on lap 10 when I could drop into a clear circuit, and it felt good. But the problem was I was on the prime for so long, around a circuit you can overtake on it was very, very difficult. The cars behind me were 2s quicker. To try and hold them off was very difficult.

"Felipe [Massa] eventually got past. Fernando [Alonso] tried a couple of times. The last time he tried, he went so deep into the corner and then suddenly his engine was gone. I don't understand what happened. But we had a good fight."

He added: "I never realised fighting for eighth was going to be so difficult, but it's good to get some points. I went for the outside at the first corner and it wasn't the place to be. I lost a lot of places there."