Lewis Hamilton is taking nothing for granted after winning back-to-back grand prixs and reigniting his challenge in the Formula One drivers' championship.

The McLaren-Mercedes driver has a four-point lead in the standings, but with eight races remaining he knows as easily as events have turned in his favour, it could all go horribly wrong again. "It's too early to say that I'm now the man to beat," he said. "We're looking strong, looking good, and we're in a good position, but as you know in a Formula One season things change, teams always make steps here and there.

"As you saw last year we were swapping and changing, so in the next few races I don't know what to expect. All I know is we will have a competitive car, and if we can keep challenging for wins, then great.

"I've said it before, but we've really transformed this year's car over the past six weeks. It's now so well-balanced and responsive, it just feels fantastic to drive. You can always trust it and get something more out of it.

"But I'm not going to say the other guys need to pull their finger out or something like that. All I know is we just need to keep on pushing, as simple as that, as I'm sure everyone else will. So far the team have done a great job, and we are really on top of our game right now.

"But we cannot get too far ahead of ourselves. We have got a lot of work to do for the rest of the season, although if we can continue with this momentum we're looking very good. Now it's on to the next race, with Hungary a very good one for us, so fingers crossed."

Hamilton has a chance to become the first British driver since Damon Hill at the start of the 1996 season to win three successive races. "We've had a very dominant performance in Germany, and we will try and carry it," Ron Dennis, the McLaren team manager, said. "We knew we would be strong in Britain and Germany, and we are working very hard to be strong in Hungary too.

"I can't see us being any less strong there, although the car will look a bit different, so we will see."