Lewis Hamilton admitted to being surprised to finish on the podium in Brazil today, after coming from 17th on the grid to steal third from Rubens Barrichello with ten laps to go. After getting the super-soft tyre stint out of the way early on with a first-lap pitstop behind the safety car, Hamilton executed his effective one-stop strategy to perfection to take his first Interlagos podium.

“Today's been an extremely tough day, tough weekend, and today was a huge surprise to me,” said Hamilton after suffering a frustrating qualifying in the wet yesterday. “I had no idea that we would even be able to get into the points.

“The team did a great job with the strategy but I was on a knife edge the whole way. I feel great, the car felt great. I think there are still some improvements we need to make but to fight all the way up to third from 18th I think is a great job from all the team, so hugely thankful to them for the hard work, the good job they did.”

Hamilton looked set to finish fourth before manufacturing an impressive overtaking manoeuvre on Brawn's Rubens Barrichello going into the first corner on lap 62. He was able to get alongside the Brawn on the main straight thanks to his KERS boost, and from there had a straight-forward late-brake to ensure the place.

His podium and the six accompanying points jumped McLaren ahead of Ferrari in the fight for third in the constructors' championship, a battle the team has been aiming to win since mid-season. “I've got the bosses breathing down my neck to get the job done, so today would have definitely made them happy and we really needed it, considering we were both right at the back and weren't really looking to get points, so this would go very well,” continued Hamilton. “I'm sure the lads in the team are very happy and bosses are too.”

Having secured the 2008 drivers' championship in dramatic style just 12 months ago, the reigning champion was quick to congratulate Jenson Button and Brawn GP on their triumph today. “I just have to say a big congratulations to Jenson and the Brawn team, great job by them for the whole season. I definitely look forward to having a better car to challenge them next year,” said the Briton.