Bernie hails Lewis as new superstar of F1

The Formula One ringmaster anointed British prodigy Lewis Hamilton as the man to illuminate the sport in the post-Michael Schumacher era by delivering on the dazzling promise of his first two races.

Scroll down to read more:

Ecclestone said: "I hope he will be the next superstar of F1. He has got all the makings. He is young, good looking and talks to people. The point is he is selling the business, 100 per cent.

"He is doing a great job and has obviously done an awful lot better than anybody expected him to. It is nothing to do with the fact of being good for England. It is F1 and he is good for F1.

"I wish people wouldn't keep on talking about his colour because he doesn't need to have the praise for that. He is just bloody good."

Hamilton, hoping to build on podium finishes in Australia and Malaysia, underlined his ability by setting the second fastest time in testing yesterday ahead of tomorrow's Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa were immediately in front and behind him.

The 22-year-old said: "Last year I watched this race on TV, so it's amazing to be here alongside these great names.

"But we need to be careful. In Malaysia, we looked like we had completely closed the gap on Ferrari. I don't think that was the case. We got them at the first corner. If we hadn't done that, they would have gone off into the distance and won.

"We still don't have their long run pace. They seem to manage the tyres better than anyone on the grid. Traction is really important here. There are a couple of really tight corners. Our overall one-lap pace is sweet and I'm not worried about that. We are quicker, but we'll have to wait and see if we are quick enough."

Hamilton's compatriot, Jenson Button, already knows he is off the pace. He is being marketed here in Bahrain with the slogan: "Live life in the fast lane."

But, with 15 grands prix left, he has admitted that he will fall short of that maxim all season.

The 27-year-old said: "I would be surprised if we are winning races this year."

His gloomy prognosis was backed up by the second practice session, when flames billowed out of his Honda. He stepped out and the car, parked on an incline, rolled gently away.

Honda boss Nick Fry looked on grimly from the pit wall, his perma-smile gone.

It summed up Honda's predicament, as they struggle for solutions for a car which was so slow from day one that the situation is near impossible to remedy.

Button was 11th in the morning, 22nd and last in the afternoon. His team-mate Rubens Barrichello was 17th and 11th.

David Coulthard fared no better, finishing 20th and ninth in his Red Bull car, while Super Aguri's Anthony Davidson was 18th and 13th.