Massa won 2008 Brazilian GP but Hamilton is World Champion

In a thrilling race of season ending 2008 F1 season, Ferrari's Felipe Massa won the Brazilian Grand Prix but McLaren's Lewis Hamilton clinched 2008 Driver's Championship title by a single point at Interlagos circuit, Sao Paulo. Ferrari won the 2008 Constructor's Championship.




In the final lap Massa set to be champion as he drived superbly from start to finish as Hamilton was sixth but a very slow last lap from Tim Glock gave him the fifth place he needed and effectively decides the championship.

Fernando Alonso took the 2nd place and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen finished third to clinch the 2008 Constructor's Championship for Red Ferrari. Torro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel finished fourth followed by Hamilton at must needed fifth.

Race Summary:

Top 3 Drivers at 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix

Felipe Massa - Ferrari

Fernando Alonso - Renault

Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari


Standing after 18th Races in 2008:


Driver's Championship

Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) - 98 Points

Felipe Massa (Ferrari) - 97 Points

Robert Kubica (BMW) - 75 Points

Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) - 75 Points

Constructor's Championship

Ferrari - 172 Points

McLaren-Mercedese - 151 Points

BMW - 135 Points

Massa takes Pole in 2008 Brazilian GP - Hamilton 4th in final race

Ferrari's Felipe Massa claims the crucial pole in the final race of 2008 F1 Championship and the fellow title contender and leader Lewis Hamilton of McLaren starts from the fourth position for the Race Day on Sunday in 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix at the Interlagos circuit.

Trailing Hamilton by 7 points, Massa put a brilliant performance to take pole and now overwhelming favorite to lead from the front and take the chequered flag on Sunday, barring mechanical issues, and then it becomes a question of where Hamilton finishes.

Massa and Hamilton go the same way before Brazilian used a new set of tyres to record a lap of 1m 12.368s and clinched pole. Raikkonen finished 3rd with 1m 12.825s and bisected two Ferrari's by Toyota's Jarno Trulli with with 1m 12.737s.

Heikki Kovalainen lines up fifth on 1m 12.917s in the second McLaren followed by Renault's Fernando Alonso with the timing of 1m 12.967s. Torro Rosso's drivers Sebastian Vettel and Sebastien Bourdais finished 7th and ninth place respectively and bisected by Nick Heidfeld in BMW Sauber. Timo Glock completed the top 10 for Toyota.

2008 Brazilian Grand Prix Preview - Hamilton or Massa?

1 race to go in 2008 Formula One season and two driver are in the race of winning 2008 F1 Driver's Championship, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Felipe Massa and they will try their luck in the season ending Brazilian Grand Prix. Hamilton leading by 7 points to Massa.

If Hamilton win, he will become the youngest driver to win the title and only the second driver to win the championship in his second season, and the first Briton to take the crown since Damon Hill 12 years ago.

Hamilton also leading the season last year but lost Raikkonen in the last race. Technically, Hamilton needs only finish fifth even if Massa wins, in order to beat him by a single point.

For Massa, he has to win by 8 points difference with Hamilton and good thing is that his partner kimi is ready to help in the race if situation demands.

In the Construction Championship, Ferrari leading by 11 points to McLaren. McLaren needs one-two finish to have any realistic chance of securing both titles, whereas a third and eighth would secure the constructors’ crown for Ferrari.

2008 Brazilian Grand Prix - Circuit Details:

Sao Paulo

Race Date: 02 Nov 2008

Number of Laps: 71

Circuit Length: 4.309 km

Race Distance: 305.909 km

Lap Record: 1:11.473 - JP Montoya (2004)