Experienced
Formula One heads Jackie Stewart and Frank
Williams have both suggested that the Monaco floodgates could open for
Lewis Hamilton after his maiden victory in the Principality on Sunday.
Speaking to journalists after the rain-affected event, both men claimed that their fellow Briton could now go on to emulate his hero, Ayrton Senna, by winning multiple Monaco Grands Prix. Hamilton had opened the weekend by expressing a desire to at least win once on the streets where the Brazilian had entered
Formula One folklore, but admitted that he was reluctant to predict joining the likes of Senna, Graham Hill and Michael Schumacher as a future' master of Monaco'.
"There's no reason why not," Stewart said, "He's only 23 years old and, at that age, he's got plenty of time on his side. He's driving for one of the best two teams in the world, so I can see more wins here. It is great to see a British driver, and a British team, up there again."
Hamilton started third in his second Monaco Grand Prix, and survived a lap five brush with the barriers at Tabac before a
McLaren strategy change allowed him to make up for lost time and overhaul both
Felipe Massa and Robert Kubica.
You need a little luck here but, when you get it, you need to take advantage of it," Stewart continued, "Lewis did a great job - it was a very unusual race, but he was there to take advantage of the situation.
Ferrari lost the race, they kind of cocked it up - after Lewis hit the wall, I thought there was no chance of him winning. But you can never give up. I think this will be the first of many."
Those views were echoed by a man who, briefly, had the pleasure of running Senna in one of his cars, albeit not at Monaco.
"Lewis won in style," said team owner Williams, "In the wet, with massive pressure, and lots of walls - he demonstrated a lot of brain power. Michael Schumacher dominated this race for much too long. That era is gone, but Lewis has the character and capability to carry on [winning] this race for quite a few years."
Despite the accolades, however, Hamilton was not as willing to accept that he could establish a new dynasty in Monaco.
"It would be great, but I think that this weekend has shown that anything can happen," he said, "I'm not going to say that, next year, I'm going to win it. Next year, I'm going to
aim to come back and win it but, again, anything can happen. I hope this is the start of something very special.
"Ayrton won here so many times and I've always wanted to. If he could win here, that means the best drivers have been able to win here, so I wanted to be able to do the same."
