Lewis Hamilton became the youngest ever winner of the Formula 1 World title after beating Felipe Massa in his backyard in the most astonishing finish to a race, let alone championship in a long time, if ever.
Hollywood writers couldn't have dreamed up a more dramatic finale to the 2008 Formula 1 season to rival the gripping, thrilling drama produced at the scenic Interlagos circuit, Brazil. The championship was being contested by Mclaren's Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa, with the Brit leading by 7 points; an identical situation to last year's championship decider. Last year Hamilton lost the championship on the first lap, this time Hamilton won the title on the last lap. Hamilton needed only a fifth place to safeguard the championship against anything Massa could do, good thing because Massa was in no mood to gift wrap the title to the 23 year old Brit.
Up to Speed
Hamilton becomes the first mixed race competitor to race and win the crown. His achievement is magnified by the fact that this season is only his second and astonishingly should be his second title. It is said the first title is the hardest to win and surely, Hamilton would have preferred a boring procession to the unpredictable and risky race.
With four laps to go Hamilton was in fourth place and heading for the title but then the heavens opened, and with the track in a state of limbo, half dry, half wet, a difficult decision had to be made by all teams as to whether to pit their drivers for wet tyres. The first five drivers pitted but Honda's Timo Glock; two places behind Hamilton, opted to stick with dry tyres and consequently relegated Hamilton to fifth place. More drama was to come when with 2 laps to go, Hamilton ran wide and let Vettel who had been harrying the Brit slip past, which subsequently pushed Hamilton to sixth place and out of the championship as Massa was comfortably leading the race.
The Final Lap
As the last lap came around, the conditions worsened and dry tyres were struggling. As Hamiton chased Vettel all seemed hopeless; despair setting in as the Ferrari powered Toro Rosso of Vettel edged away from Hamilton and whilst Massa crossed the line in first place all of Brazil and Ferrari ruptured into celebration thinking their local hero had won. No one was watching Glock's Toyota crawl round the last lap, losing 18 seconds, allowing Vettel and Hamilton to catch up and pass on the last corner just a few hundred yards from the finish line and give Hamilton the championship by a single point. The same margin Hamilton lost by in last years finale.
From despair to elation in a pulsating few corners, although it was from elation to despair as the Ferrari team and Brazilian fans got ahead of themselves realising a few moments later that their man hadn't succeeded. Formula 1 comes in for regular criticism for a lack of entertainment, particularly street circuits, that can make falling out of bed an absolute riot. But this was one for the neutral. From Crumbs, congratulations Lewis!
Written by Josh McNab
