Lewis Hamilton failed to achieve his dream of adding victory in the British Grand Prix to his astonishing list of achievements in his first season, but he still walked out of a packed Silverstone circuit a £1 million winner yesterday.

Even the arrival of Victoria and David Beckham to see their first grand prix before starting a new life in Los Angeles could not deflect the spotlight from the nation’s newest sporting hero. Beckham is leaving Britain this week for one of the richest pay packets in sport, but Hamilton is on the way to surpassing him.

The rewards are stacking up after only nine races in the highest form of motor racing. In spite of managing only third yesterday, his record in Formula One reads: nine races, nine podium finishes, with two wins – and bonus payments that will have his pay packet nudging £1 million with the season just at the halfway point, fabulous riches for a 22-year-old who raced at Silverstone as a virtual unknown in a junior series only a year ago.

“I have had a wicked season, so no complaints from me,” he said last night. “I am looking on the bright side and I have had nine podiums in a row, so I am happy about that. Maybe next year we will give it another shot.”

Expert View

The sight of Hamilton crawling along Hangar Straight as he punched his fists and waved to the crowd will live long in the memory

Edward Gorman

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A capacity crowd of 85,000 – many drawn simply to watch this new phenomenon – had cheered wildly to greet their new hero. One of them was Davidson Hamilton, the youngster’s proud grandfather, who had flown in from his home in Grenada to see his Hamilton race for the first time. He joined a family party in the grand-stands to watch in awe as the youngster streaked past them for 59 laps at more than 180mph.

Anthony, Lewis’s father, put the disappointment into perspective. “If this is as bad as it gets,” he said, “then we will take it. Of course, we wanted to win and his grandfather would have loved seeing him. But Lewis leads the World Championship and is in great shape.”

Lewis also promised that yesterday’s disappointment would soon be forgotten. “I have got to step up my game and that is what I will do,” he said. “There is another race coming and I will be aiming to win that.”