Hamilton puts Silverstone disappointment behind him to carry Olympic torch

Lewis Hamilton was in in pole position for the Olympic torch relay this morning.

The Formula One star was the first to pick up the flame on its leg from Luton to Oxford on the 52nd day of its journey to the London Games.

Hamilton missed out on carrying the golden torch through his own town of Stevenage on Sunday, because he was competing in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

After starting today's Olympic Torch Relay the 27 year old Formula One star joked that he would have liked to have carried it yesterday after all, following a disappointing eighth-place finish which leaves him fourth in the championship.

"It wasn't that great a day, so I would happily have missed that to come and do it that evening," he said. "But I am so proud to do it, it doesn't matter where I do it."

Describing the response from fans in the town centre as "phenomenal", he added: "To be nominated to do this is a real honour, I never in a million years thought I would have a chance to do it."

He said he had bought his torch and planned to keep it above his mantelpiece.

Hundreds of people, many of them schoolchildren, turned out to see Lewis start Day 52 of the relay.