Hamilton wins Formula One crown

Eurosport - Mon, 03 Nov 10:36:00 2008

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton roared into the record books as Formula One's youngest champion when he snatched the title in last lap drama at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

FORMULA 1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren / Foto EFE - 0

The 23-year-old, needing only a fifth place finish in the season-ending race to become Britain's first champion since Damon Hill in 1996, was seconds from failure for the second year in a row as Ferrari rival Felipe Massa swept to victory.

Hamilton entered the last lap in sixth place after a late shower forced a change to wet weather tyres and saw Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso overtake the McLaren.

With the title disappearing as fast as Massa's Ferrari approached the chequered flag, Hamilton had Toyota's Timo Glock to thank after the German stayed out on dry tyres and was unable to hold on to his fifth place.

Hamilton powered past as the final corner approached.

"Amazing, I can't even get my breath back," said the astonished Briton, who embraced his father and brother before being mobbed by the team.

Massa, Hamilton's sole title rival, won his home race for the second time in three years to chalk up a record 16th constructors' title for the Italian team.

Hamilton, who missed out by a single point to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen in Brazil last season, ended the 18-race season one point clear of Massa.

"He scored more points than me, he deserves to win the title," said the disappointed race winner. "I know how to win, I know how to lose.

"This is another day of my life that I'm going to learn a lot from."

At 23 years and 301 days old, Hamilton broke the age record set by former McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard who won the first of his two titles with Renault in Brazil at the age of 24, one month and 27 days.

Hamilton's title was the first for Mercedes-powered McLaren since Finland's Mika Hakkinen in 1999.

Massa, the first driver since Ayrton Senna in 1989 to miss out on the title after winning more races than anyone else, led from pole position after a start delayed for 10 minutes by a sudden downpour while the cars were waiting on the grid.

The safety car was then deployed for two laps after a collision that sent Britain's David Coulthard crashing into retirement after 15 seasons in Formula One.

The Scot's Red Bull tangled with the Williams of Kazuki Nakajima and Renault's Nelson Piquet, who was also eliminated from the race.

Alonso took second place in the race, with Raikkonen joining him on the podium to seize third place overall from BMW-Sauber's Robert Kubica on race wins.

Reuters

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  1. Once again, this time to chunkyjones another person­ living in the past. Leave your ignorant personal views­ out of it, Lewis can live anywhere he wants, he is­ proud to be British and he represents his country with­ pride. First and foremost he is a race driver, the­ current number one in the world please don't forget­ that. Next year will be even better now that we have­ three world champions racing for three different teams­ competing against each other and a host of hot young­ drivers. i believe 2009 will be the best championship­ year ever.

    From chris, on Mon 3 Nov 6:31PM

  2. There are FERRARI fans out here who, however much they­ love the red cars can hold up their hands and say WELL­ DONE LEWIS!!!!.Brilliant race everyone,(apart from Timo­ Glock),Only joking. Hope next season is as good. While­ im on a roll,how about we ALL report racial abuse,as­ soon as it appears,without ever mentioning the R word­ again,that way the poison wont spread. Yes,im a­ foreigner!.

    From Geezer on a duke, on Mon 3 Nov 6:24PM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    You sad bunch of dullards - Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull,­ Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull,
    Dull, Dull, Dull,­ Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull,­ Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull,­ Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull, Dull,­ Dull

    Get a life - Your supoorting blokes driving­ around in a big flash car - Sitting down

    What a great­ SPORT!!!

    From H C, on Mon 3 Nov 6:22PM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    A lot has been said this season about FIA decisions­ favouring Ferrari. Well yesterday in Brazil McClaren­ got off with a pit lane infraction scot free with no­ penalty at all.
    Article 23H of the 2008 Formula One­ Sporting Regulations states "Team personnel are­ only allowed in the pit lane immediately before they­ are required to work on a car and must withdraw as soon­ as the work is complete"
    The reason for Article­ 23H is quite clearly for the reasons of safety for car­ and driver,the pit crews and personnel authorised to be­ in the pit lane.
    In the closing stages of the­ Brazilian Grand Prix Lewis Hamiltons half brother; who­ is a sufferer of cerebral palsy; pops out off the­ McClaren garage into the pit lane with his hand held­ out checking for rain.
    Surely for the McClaren team to­ have let a "spectator" though a VIP one­ watching from the confines of their garage enter the­ pit lane it is a clear violation of article 23H. Even­ worse that L Hamiltons half brother was wearing no­ safety clothing as pit crews have to and the fact that­ he is physically impaired by his cerebral palsy.
    The­ safety implications of him popping out to check for­ rain does not bear thinking about.
    But as I said­ earlier McClaren got off scot free with no action from­ the governing body!

    From its raining outside!, on Mon 3 Nov 6:10PM

  5. RAB is short for RABID. Ignore him.

    From Biggles, on Mon 3 Nov 6:05PM

  6. I think that Sebastian Vettel is better than Hamilton­ just my opinion of course, but give that kid a ferrari­ or a maclaren and you will see who will win.
    Anyway­ congratulations Hamilton for winning the campionship­ with a little bit of luck I may add but next year Massa­ will come stronger than ever and win the campionship­ for ferrari (I hope).
    Peace out

    From d3vil_m4y_cry2003, on Mon 3 Nov 5:29PM

  7. naseer117- what are you on about?? People like you need­ to eff off. If you ain't got anything constructive­ to say don't comment at all. Can't believe in­ this day and age people like you are still acting like­ that. Anyway, well done hamilton, a year overdue but­ well done. This kid is gonna dominate F1 for the next­ 10 years or so. Absolute pure 100 percent talent­ regardless of nationality or skin colour.

    From chris, on Mon 3 Nov 5:20PM

  8. Rab, you are a disgusting human being for sure with­ your pathetic racist comments but what gives me comfort­ is the fact that what goes round comes round, and one­ day your harefilled and twisted racist opinions will­ come back and bite you on your cowardly @#$%. :)

    From misty42pixie, on Mon 3 Nov 5:20PM

  9. WHAT A PEACH,how many of you out there have driven of­ from the petrol station with the fuel hose still­ in,????,i could tell you at least one name,WHAT A­ PEACH.

    From jimmy, on Mon 3 Nov 5:07PM

  10. Oh where oh where is touronroute? Oh well I don't­ see any regular Ferrari biased people any way! Too­ ashamed to show their faces. Ha

    From Leo G, on Mon 3 Nov 4:52PM

  11. WHAT A PEACH,did you see the faces in the ferrari­ garage after massa crossed the line,then the same faces­ 20 seconds later,WHAT A PEACH.

    From jimmy, on Mon 3 Nov 4:51PM

  12. Well Done Lewis - even those cheatin Belgians could not­ stop you. Cant wait for next year Lewis to win by 10­ clear points in 2009, Ve Vill get ze record for most­ championships from ze German.

    From Is this the Bestway, on Mon 3 Nov 4:51PM

  13. Rab go back to a mental racist assylum and go @#$%­ yourself.

    From Leo G, on Mon 3 Nov 4:51PM

  14. GloCk is stupid

    From Deme, on Mon 3 Nov 4:34PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    well JEFF F
    touronroute predictions weren't far­ away cause Hamilton needed luck to become world­ champion. A true worthy champion that couldn't­ defend his title position against Vettel on a torro­ rosso yes a TORRO ROSSO.

    From mauricechlela, on Mon 3 Nov 4:34PM

  16. Hamilton is the best ever. He is the Ronaldo of Formula­ 1.
    Best Footballer-C.Ronaldo
    Best Formula 1­ Driver-L.Hamilton(Ronaldo)

    From Annie, on Mon 3 Nov 4:26PM

  17. it was a fat lady who sang-BEFORE the race.

    From L.Prezidenti, on Mon 3 Nov 3:55PM

  18. I wonder did grumpy Alonso got any sleep last night?

    From EagleEye, on Mon 3 Nov 3:53PM

  19. I have this saved as well mate haha what a silly man he­ is....

    "touronroute, on Thu 2 Oct 6:56PM said:
    IF­ THEY THINK THAY LEWIS HAMILTON IS GOING TO WIN THE­ WORLD TITLE THEY MUST BE MORE STUPID THAN I THOUGHT,­ COME BACK AFTER THE NEXT RACE BOTH OF YOU, WET OR DRY­ AND GIVE ME BOTH YOUR, EXCUSES, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU­ ALL THAT FELLIPI MASSSA WILL HAVE THE WORLD­ CROWN"

    hahahahahahaha hohohohohoho­ hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe t.w.a.t.

    From JEFF F, on Mon 3 Nov 3:46PM

  20. I have this saved as well mate haha what a silly man he­ is....

    "touronroute, on Thu 2 Oct 6:56PM said:
    IF­ THEY THINK THAY LEWIS HAMILTON IS GOING TO WIN THE­ WORLD TITLE THEY MUST BE MORE STUPID THAN I THOUGHT,­ COME BACK AFTER THE NEXT RACE BOTH OF YOU, WET OR DRY­ AND GIVE ME BOTH YOUR, EXCUSES, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU­ ALL THAT FELLIPI MASSSA WILL HAVE THE WORLD­ CROWN"

    hahahahahahaha hohohohohoho­ hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe t.w.a.t.

    From JEFF F, on Mon 3 Nov 3:45PM
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