Whitmarsh: Lewis can be king of Monaco

Lewis Hamilton has been backed to eclipse the achievements of motor racing's late king of Monaco, Ayrton Senna.

Assessing Hamilton's majestic display that enabled him to reclaim the lead in the drivers' standings, McLaren F1 chief executive Martin Whitmarsh feels the 23-year-old has what it takes to rule Monaco for years to come.

"Lewis has won here in Formula 3, GP2, and now F1," said Whitmarsh. "He can go on and do what Ayrton did here (win it six times) - he loves the place."

He added: "He's a great, great racer, and he did what he had to do - a fantastic job.

"There was one slight blemish when he clipped the wall, but we made it work for us.

"When he went back out he was in fifth place with a very heavy fuel load, but he was able to keep it on the road and be quick, and that's what won him the race.

"Lewis was in control and probably less nervy than the rest of us."

Whitmarsh feels the victory was crucial for McLaren's championship cause this season after Ferrari had reeled off four straight wins, ending their momentum.

"It was an important win to stop Ferrari," reflected Whitmarsh. "We're six races in, and we have to make sure we're stamping some authority on these races, so it was fantastic.

"For all the drivers and the team, there is still something very special about winning in Monaco, and the timing of it was also important."