9. 2008 – Hamilton dominates in the wet
Arguably Lewis Hamilton’s greatest victory was all the sweeter given that it came in appalling conditions and in front of his home crowd for the very first time. Overshadowed by his teammate in qualifying – Heikki Kovalainen ultimately taking pole position – Hamilton quickly leapt from fourth on the grid into second by the first corner, taking the lead in an aggressive move on lap five. And that was the last the field would see of him, the Brit disappearing up the road almost two seconds a lap faster than his nearest rivals, the gap at the chequered flag just over a minute to second-placed Nick Heidfeld.
Astonishingly, despite the Honda-designed dog he was driving, veteran Rubens Barrichello mastered the wet conditions to take the final step on the podium. That his best finish thereafter was 11th in China should tell you everything you need to know about the Honda RA108.
