LONDON, March 3, 2008 (AFP) - French Formula One legend Alain Prost says that although Lewis Hamilton has raced in just 17 Grands Prix he already has the experience necessary to win the driver´s championship this season.

The 23-year-old Briton lost to Kimi Raikonnen by just one point in his debut season, as the Finn dramatically won the final race in Brazil, but Prost expects the McLaren driver to come back stronger.

"I think Lewis will be the top guy," Prost told BBC One´s Inside Sport.

"If he has a good car, I don´t think it should be a problem. He has more experience now."

Prost won the world title four times with McLaren in an illustrious career that saw him play his part in one the sport´s greatest all-time rivalries against Ayrton Senna of Brazil.

But to get there he had to endure several crushing disappointments earlier in his career.

"I lost the championship in ´81, ´82, ´83, ´84 by a few points and at one time, I said to myself it must be that I cannot win the championship - and then I won it four times later on," he added.

"If you have everything together, you have plenty of time."

The Formula One season starts on March 16 in Melbourne