Lewis the lion proves he can take the heat

The McLaren prodigy produced an heroic performance in the sauna heat of Sepang to finish behind his runaway team-mate Fernando Alonso and fractionally ahead of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

Hamilton was visibly drained by the experience and exhilarated at the same time.

His voice cracked once or twice at the post-race press conference but - focused and confident competitor that he already is - he moved on with no more than a hint of a stumble.

"It was the most difficult race I've ever had," said the 22-year-old, after becoming the first man since fellow Briton Peter Arundell in 1964 to appear on the rostrum in his opening two races.

"To see two red blobs (of Ferrari) in the mirrors, knowing they were slightly lighter and quicker, is overwhelming. It was difficult to keep them behind."

But manage it he did over 56 steamy laps, his sure-footedness belying his status as a rookie, even though his car was demonstrably quick.

Starting fourth, he sneaked past Raikkonen and pole man Felipe Massa on the first lap, going wheel to wheel on the inside of the first corner before powering through on the outside of the next bend. It was a move as daring as it was precise.

With Alonso immediately jumping from second to first, McLaren's silver arrows were shining at the front. It laid the platform for Hamilton to protect his partner's lead over the charging Ferraris.

Massa tried to barge through in the fourth lap around corner four, but he braked too late and yielded space for Hamilton to dive through on the inside. The Brazilian attempted the stunt again two laps later only to plough into the grass. Raikkonen moved into third.

Runners-up spot seemed almost certain for Hamilton until the closing stages, when Raikkonen started to close. With 10 laps left, Hamilton was ahead by 9.6sec but five laps later it was 2.8sec. Would the tyro be able to cling on?

"I can't tell you how difficult it was," said Hamilton, who crossed the line eight-tenths of a second in front of his Finnish pursuer.

"I was sweating a lot and ran out of water. It was tricky and got hotter and hotter. Defending is twice as hard as attacking.

"I wondered whether I'd be able to defend against someone like Kimi, but I could. And I'm now sitting here next to the best two drivers in the world. It's amazing."

Hamilton's father Anthony was oozing with pride. His eyes were hidden by dark glasses as he watched the podium presentation from the pit lane, but his trembling lower lip gave the story away. He then wiped a tear away.

Hamilton Snr said: "What got to me was to hear the National Anthem. It had the same effect on Lewis. I was really pleased not just for us but for the whole country. It almost felt like the whole of Britain was patting us on the back."

Hamilton's display, coming three weeks after third place in the Australian Grand Prix, will do nothing to dampen expectations. He does not appear unduly fazed. He is doing more than operating on adrenaline. He is combining pure instinct with careful planning.

Take Thursday night, for example. He spent it in his hotel room watching videos of previous starts on this track. Education, education, education is his policy.

Yes, there will be setbacks but it would take a foolish man to bet against him pulling off his maiden victory before the season ends.

Alonso, himself winning for McLaren for the first time, was content. The 25-year-old said: "Today is very important. It keeps motivation high and I'm proud to have won with two separate teams.

"It's amazing what we have achieved here in a very short space of time since I moved from Renault. It has taken a lot of effort from everybody."

Alonso's coruscating drive - he took the chequered flag 17.5sec ahead of Hamilton - underlined his status as the double world champion and team No 1.

The McLaren one-two - their first win since October 2005 - flew in the face of all paddock wisdom. Ferrari were believed to be red-hot favourites. There was even talk of Raikkonen winning the title as early as August. What went wrong?

Raikkonen spoke of 'too many compromises' with the car and it appears they erred on the side of caution given his suspect engine, which leaked water in Melbourne.

"It's a day of mixed feelings," said Raikkonen in his inscrutable way. "We know why we were not fast enough and we'll aim to turn the tables in Bahrain next week."

The desert setting will be new to Hamilton, yet you cannot help but think he will figure at the front of the field. Stay tuned for the next instalment of a remarkable story.