Lewis Hamilton: Hungarian GP win among most important

It was the 2008 world champion's first victory with Mercedes, and his first since the United Stated Grand Prix in November.

"I think this is probably one of the most important wins of my career," said Hamilton. "I really couldn't be happier and I hope there is many more to come.

"If we can make the tyres last here we can do it anywhere."

After taking pole on Saturday, Hamilton said it would be a "miracle" if he won the race because he feared his car would suffer with tyre problems, as has been the case this season, especially in high temperatures. But those problems never materialised, with the 28-year-old controlling the race and crucially making his way through traffic to give himself clear air to build a gap.

"I think you could tell I was hungry for it," he said. "I was going all out. I needed to get past those people, usually I get stuck - today I wasn't having it, I was going for every move I had."

McLaren's Jenson Button was one of those drivers who Hamilton had to pass quickly during the race - and it seems he received a little help from his former team-mate.

While Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel struggled to find a way past Button on two separate occasions, Hamilton found a way through after just a couple of laps.

"Today was a favour," he said. "Maybe I'd done him a favour in the past. He did me favour today.

"During the race, I was thinking about all the great times we had racing together. There were times he won and times I won."

Hamilton's victory - his fourth in seven races in Hungary - reduces the gap to championship leader Vettel to 48 points as the sport heads into the four-week summer break and the Mercedes driver is hopeful this result could spur the team on to better things.

"The team has just done an exceptional job: we have worked so hard to understand these tyres and we got the balance spot on," he said.

"I am very hopeful this could be a real turning point for us as we coped with these high track temperatures."

Hamilton, who split up with girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger earlier this month, said the victory came after "one of the hardest weeks of my life".

He added: "My mind has been in a lot of different places. This weekend, when I've not been on my laptop with my engineers or in the car, my mind has just been in the clouds.

"My mum and dad have been calling and messaging me a lot these last couple of weeks trying to lift my spirits, it's been a tough time. They've really made the difference."