Lewis Hamilton believes World Championship leader Robert Kubica will be a title contender for the duration of the season. Kubica scored both his and BMW Sauber's first victory in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix after McLaren Mercedes driver Hamilton collided with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen in the pit lane. Queueing alongside Kubica as they waited on a red light to rejoin the track under safety car conditions, Raikkonen was hit from behind by Hamilton, forcing both cars into retirement. Kubica fully exploited the error to take both the chequered flag and a four-point lead in the Drivers' Championship.

Since retiring in the opening race of the season in Australia, the Pole has also been the most consistent driver on the grid.

And Hamilton believes his former sparring partner in karts is a definite threat, saying: "I think he's always been a title contender from race one when he qualified second on the grid.

"I've always known he's got great talent and he would be strong as soon as BMW pulled their socks up - and they have done.

"They've done a great job, they've been very consistent and it is three teams at the front really battling it out.

"I think he's going to be pushing us right to the end, although it's not particularly worrying.

"I still feel we can come out on top, but it's going to be a real challenge." 

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