McLaren: Hamilton could win before Button

That is the view of McLaren's F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh, who believes that Hamilton's current domination of GP2 is creating the kind of momentum that could lead to him becoming Britain's next Grand Prix winner.

Hamilton's stunning drive in the second GP2 race on Sunday morning, which included a three abreast overtaking move at Becketts, became the talking point of the Silverstone paddock amid growing speculation that McLaren may take a gamble and put him in their team alongside Fernando Alonso next year.

The groundswell of support that grew behind Hamilton last weekend was in stark contrast to Button's fortunes - whose weekend was blighted by a qualifying nightmare and early exit from his home Grand Prix.

Whitmarsh has admitted that Hamilton's performances are making it hard for his team not to consider him for a chance next season - especially because of his views about him winning before Button.

"I think he could," he said when asked whether he believed Hamilton could triumph before Button. "He has the capability.

"I don't want to be hard on Jenson. I think Jenson is a very talented quick driver but Jenson has committed his future to Honda. Therefore I am not going to wish him a victory at the moment am I? I am going to wish victories on drivers in our stable."

McLaren have so far been keen to keep the pressure off Hamilton this year with regards his prospects for a seat at their team in 2007.

But Whitmarsh is well aware that if he continues his GP2 campaign in the manner he is currently doing then it will not be easy for the Woking-based outfit to not put him in F1.

"Performances like that make it very difficult don't they?" he explained. "He has got age and time on his side, and it is great to have drivers like that in the stable when you are trying to look at your driver line-up next year.

"But it is a big jump and a big responsibility to jump into a seat at McLaren, and we have got to make sure we don't put too much pressure on him. The reality is that we have other great drivers in our stable at the moment and we will see what happens in the coming months to see who fills the second seat alongside Fernando."

When asked if he could rate Hamilton's chances of being at McLaren next year, Whitmarsh said: "I wouldn't want to. We have got our own private thoughts on it. Any percentage probability will just create the wrong pressure on him and the wrong pressure and disrespect on the drivers we have got.

"At the moment we have got to improve the car and be competitive in Montreal and then once we have done that we will turn our minds to who will drive for us next year."

Hamilton's performance have not only impressed paddock figures and the media - because the British crowd interestingly showed more emotion and support after Hamilton's charging drive than they did for Fernando Alonso's victory or Jenson Button's early exit.

"It was phenomenal wasn't it," said Whitmarsh. "They really sense they have got a champion in the making. It is good for all of us."