By Pablo Elizalde Thursday, May 3rd 2007, 10:21 GMT
Former world champion Niki Lauda believes McLaren's rookie Lewis Hamilton is the favourite to win this year's championship.
"As unbelievable as it sounds, at the moment I can see Lewis Hamilton heading the ranking," Lauda told the official Formula One website.
"Because of his young and clean experience - he is as fast as Alonso," the three-time champion added.
Hamilton has made a sensational start to his life in Formula One, becoming the first driver to finish his first three Grands Prix on the podium.
The Briton is currently sharing the lead of the championship with teammate Fernando Alonso and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
"For me, obviously, McLaren and Hamilton stunned me the most," added Lauda. "I did not expect a rookie to be so advanced and strong minded as he is.
"If his learning curve continues to go upwards in the future, we can expect even more from him. If the team are able to improve the performance and create an advantage over Ferrari, this year's championship will be a duel between him and Alonso."
With three drivers tied on top of the standings, and with Felipe Massa just five points behind, Lauda believes the 2007 season looks set to be a thriller.
"This season will be the most exciting for years - we will not only see a shootout between the teams, but also amongst the teammates. There will be a do-or-die fight between Alonso and Hamilton, and between Massa and Raikkonen."
