BEIJING, July 21 -- Lewis Hamilton used two dramatic overtaking moves to overcome a McLaren strategy gaffe and win the German Grand Prix Monday, seizing the lead in Formula One's championship race. Hamilton overtook Ferrari's Felipe Massa and then runner-up Nelson Piquet Jr. of Renault at the same hairpin corner after Timo Glock's earlier crash had brought out a safety car that nearly cost the McLaren driver his fourth victory of the season.

Most teams chose to pit when the safety car was out, but McLaren left its star driver out only to see him fall to fifth place when his turn to pit with 17 laps to race finally came.

But Hamilton, who now leads Massa by four points in the overall standings, worked his way through the field before nudging past Massa from the inside at turn No. 6 and then holding off the Ferrari driver's outside challenge soon after.

McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain drives during the British F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone July 6, 2008

Piquet Jr., who earned his first career podium after starting from 17th, couldn't hold off Hamilton as the 23-year-old Briton closed in at the same corner three laps later.

"Sorry we had to make it a little bit difficult for you," McLaren team principal Ron Dennis told Hamilton over the radio. "Absolutely fantastic job."

Hamilton, who earned his eighth career win from 27 races, replied with a chuckle. But he also said he was a bit baffled by the call.

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