MCLAREN'S Lewis Hamilton is the youngest ever and first black Formula One world champion at just 23 years of age.

Lucky? I don't think so.

Doesn't deserve it this year? I think only a blind and totally partial sports fan will say that.

Consider the following facts.

Hamilton has done it in just his second season in Formula One after a drama-filled Brazilian Grand Prix over the weekend.

Sure, he had his fair share of mistakes during the 18 races of the season, but I don't think there is another driver on the grid today who deserves it more.

To be able to stay consistent and lead the drivers' standings going into the last race of the season, for two seasons in a row, shows that he is deserving enough.

Last year - in his rookie year in F1 - he was leading more experienced rivals like Kimi Raikkonen and double world champion Fernando Alonso.

But as we remember, he famously threw away that double-digit lead towards the end, but still went to Brazil four and seven points ahead of Alonso and Raikkonen respectively. He then lost last year to Raikkonen by one point in the end.

This year, he led Felipe Massa by seven points going to Brazil. But this time, he won the championship by that one point.

To consistently lead more senior and experienced drivers going into the last race of the season, is no mean feat, no evidence of luck.

Sure, he had to blame himself for throwing it away last year in Brazil.

Hamilton against the rest

But the way he snatched the world championship over the weekend by finishing in the needed fifth spot to clinch the championship by one point from Massa, was deserving enough.

Was Hamilton just competing against Massa alone?

No, at times, he was even competing against the points deductions handed out to him because of stewards' punishments for highly debatable racing incidents.

For all the mistakes and punishments, Hamilton's title win was not just about his driving ability.

It was about his mental strength as a sportsman at the highest and most intense level.

Many say Hamilton was lucky to finish fifth after a very dramatic last lap but in my opinion, he was extremely unlucky to lose fifth position in the first place.

If BMW's Robert Kubica had not forced his way through, I don't think Hamilton would have lost fifth position to Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel.

But Hamilton stayed focused and managed to catch up with a struggling Timo Glock of Toyota who remained on full slick 'dry weather' tyres and struggled on the wet track. He then overtook him on the last corner itself.

If we had blamed Hamilton for his lack of patience on the track when it mattered this season (like in the recent Japan Grand Prix when he was penalised for pushing Raikkonen off at the start), he showed it when it mattered in the end.

Credit must be given to him for what I would say was one of the most exciting F1 seasons in recent years.

Yes, Hamilton is a worthy F1 world champion.

The writer is a freelancer.