(CNN) -- McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton believes he is back in the fight for the 2011 Formula One world championship after claiming a much-needed victory at Sunday's German Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old headed home Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber of Red Bull to secure his second maximum-points haul this season and the 16th of his career.

The Briton trails world champion and current standings leader Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull by 82 points, and is fourth in the drivers' championship, but Hamilton is confident he is back in contention for the title he claimed in 2008.

"The fight for the world championship will be very, very, very hard now," Hamilton, who started the race second on the grid behind the Australian Webber, told McLaren's official website.

Hamilton reigns in Germany

"We're back in the fight though, and I really hope we can carry this forward and keep the momentum going."

Hamilton spent large parts of the Nurburgring race battling at close quarters with both Webber and the Spaniard Alonso, and he felt the intense competition helped him to perform at his best.

"Driving lap after lap within tenths of each other was about trying to do everything as perfectly as possible -- yet, being aggressive yet controlled, I felt the moves I made were some of the most precise I've ever pulled off.

Passing judgment: Hamilton must stay aggressive

"Being able to drive with your head as well as your heart, and getting it just right, is massively satisfying."

Vettel, 24, endured his lowest finish of the season so far and only secured fourth after he overtook Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa in the pit lane heading into the final lap.

It was the first time the German had finished outside of the top two this season, but Vettel still holds a 77-point lead over second-placed Webber.

"We've seen how fast things can change and it is still a long way to go to the final checkered flag," Vettel told the sport's official website.

Latest F1 standings after German Grand Prix

"What this weekend has taught me is how fast your race can get spoiled. I definitely hope that the next race will be business as usual.

"Of course I would have wanted to please my home crowd. I have seen so many fans in Red Bull colors, so of course I would have wanted to win here to see them cheer for me."

The next stop on F1's world tour is Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest, where Hamilton hopes to keep up his momentum.

Webber won at the Hungaroring last year from Alonso and Vettel, while Hamilton failed to finish.

"We are only in the middle of the season and so many points are still waiting to be taken," Hamilton told the F1 website.

"If you look at the results from last year the Red Bulls were light years ahead of everyone. And if you go back a month to Valencia, the Red Bulls and Ferrari were massively quick in the hot conditions, so I expect them to do the same in Hungary. But we will try to improve."