Lewis Hamilton hit the bullseye in Bridgestone Motorsport’s 180th Grand Prix start by winning an emphatic victory in the United States Grand Prix after fast-paced action under searing temperatures at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Hamilton darted away from the start and was only headed during the pit stops on a day where track temperatures were amongst the highest of the year so far. Bridgestone’s two compounds of Potenzas allowed an exciting range of tyre strategies with both the medium and soft mastering the hot weather, high speeds and banked circuit.

It was the second consecutive top step of the podium for Hamilton who won last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, his first Formula One race win. Hamilton withstood race long pressure from team-mate Fernando Alonso who finished in second place. The different tyre strategies employed by drivers enabled exciting overtaking manoeuvres to take place through the duration of the 73 lap race.

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa was chased across the line by team-mate Kimi Raikkonen to finish third and fourth respectively. Raikkonen was the only top driver to start on the medium compound and used the soft compound in his final stint to set the race’s fastest lap and put pressure on his team-mate. Heikki Kovalainen (Renault) took fifth with Jarno Trulli (Toyota) taking sixth. Mark Webber (Red Bull) scored his first points of 2007 whilst Sebastian Vettel (BMW Sauber) scored a world championship point on his F1 debut.

Hamilton now leads the drivers’ championship with 58 points to Alonso’s 48, whilst Massa has 39.McLaren Mercedes lead the constructors’ championship with 106 points to Ferrari’s 71 with BMW Sauber on 39.

Bridgestone Potenza Formula One tyres will next be in action this coming Tuesday as nine teams take part in a three day test at Silverstone using the medium and hard compounds and two teams test at Jerez using the medium compound. The next race action is in Magny-Cours for the French Grand Prix on 1st July, followed a week later by the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Kees van de Grint, Bridgestone Motorsport Head of Track Engineering Operations said:
“It was a fantastic result for Lewis Hamilton and I am happy that the tyres had an influence on the race as both compounds of Bridgestone Potenza allowed any strategy. Not all of the drivers in the points used the same compound for the final stint, and a driver on a single stop strategy was on for a points finish until he had to retire due to a non-tyre related issue. I am extremely proud that cars on our tyres have won at this circuit for the eighth time. For a company which puts safety first, not only on its road tyres but its race tyres too, to master turn 13 at Indianapolis, the most challenging corner on the calendar, is a real accomplishment. Not only did we overcome the notorious banking but the high temperatures too, as the tyres’ operating temperatures were well over 100 degrees Celsius today. Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel for scoring his first Formula One point on Bridgestone tyres. ”