Hamilton has won Grands Prix in Australia and Monaco this season

McLaren say halting Ferrari's four-race winning streak with victory in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix was vital to their 2008 world championship ambitions.

Lewis Hamilton's maiden Monaco win took him three points clear of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen in the title race.

"It was an important win to stop Ferrari," said McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh.

"We're six races in, and we have to make sure we're stamping some authority on these races, so it was fantastic."

Hamilton had gone into the race trailing Raikkonen by seven points.

But a shunt between Raikkonen and Force India's Adrian Sutil six laps from the end meant the reigning world champion finished out of the points in ninth, conceding the lead to his British rival.

"We're leading the drivers' championship now, which is the one we want, and we always believed we could anyway," Whitmarsh said.

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"We've been saying for some time the race now is who can develop their car at the fastest rate.

"But Ferrari are going to continue to improve, we're going to continue to improve, and if we can improve at a faster rate then hopefully we can win the championship."

McLaren are hoping to maintain the momentum from Monaco at the next Grand Prix in Canada on 8 June.

Hamilton claimed his first-ever Grand Prix victory in Montreal last season after starting in pole position and the team are confident he can be as strong on his return to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

"We have been quite good there in the past," said Whitmarsh.

The race now is who can develop their car at the fastest rate McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh

"It was obviously Lewis' first win, and I'm sure he'll be looking to repeat it.

"He's got a bit of momentum, and he's in great shape."

Whitmarsh also predicted the 23-year-old would go on to multiple victories in Monaco after a brilliant, tactical drive saw Hamilton claim his first win at his favourite circuit.

Hamilton's hero Ayrton Senna won the Monte Carlo race six times, including five in a row from 1989-93, and Whitmarsh believes the Briton can match the Brazilian's feat.

"Lewis has won here in Formula 3, GP2, and now F1," claimed Whitmarsh.

"So that was actually his third win at Monaco, so in his four races here he has won three times and been second once.

"That's not a bad record at Monaco is it? So yes, he can go on and do what Ayrton did here. He loves the place."