Red Bull will be off pace, says Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton believes that the pace of the Red Bull team is now under threat and that soon McLaren will be the team to beat.

Hamilton, world champion in 2008, took the lead of the drivers' championship yesterday after leading teammate Jenson Button to a second successive McLaren one-two at the Canadian Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old Englishman admitted that Red Bull duo of Sebastien Vettel and Mark Webber, who had claimed all seven pole positions before Canada, are still the drivers to beat, but that Red Bull won't hold a pace advantage much longer.

"We are doing everything we can to close gap to them," said Hamilton.

"On other circuits where downforce is a bit higher they may be a bit ahead still, but I have no doubts we will close the gap.u00a0 Clearly on race weekends we are doing a better job, hopefully we can continue with that."

Meanwhile,u00a0 Fernando Alonso said he was encouraged by Ferrari's improved pace after he finished third behind the McLaren duo of Hamilton and Butto.

Alonso said: "I think it was a good day for us, the car was very competitive.u00a0 I had a good opportunity to win today, fighting with Lewis, we overtook him with a fantastic job in the pitlane. We lost position with traffic and then lost another position."