Interlagos, the final race of the 2008 Formula 1 calendar saw one of the most dramatic finishes in recent times. Seriously, all die hard fans of Ferrari (me no exception...!) had a bit of tear to tickle during the closing stages. Thanks greatly to one man, Timo Glock of Toyota.
The weekend started perfectly for Ferrari and Felipe, was fastest in both the practice sessions and made a stunning perfect lap to clinch pole for the grand finale. Lewis, on the other hand was fourth fastest with Trulli and Kimi in between. Felipe had to finish at the top to win the title and Lewis had to finish anywhere between first and fifth place. The race started with a bit of drama when the formation lap was delayed by 10minutes due to sudden downpour. This resulted in drama as to which tyres the teams will choose, but thankfully the rain stopped. The first corner, as usual had some action with Nelson and David (who was on his last season.), he eventually had to end his final race without even completing a lap.
The race was just perfect for Felipe; he got the pole and lead the race from start to finish. Because of the rain, Trulli had to lose places which eventually got Fernando in second, Renault doing a sheer brilliance in the second half of the calendar. It was just perfect, till lap 67 when the rain gods showed up again and the pits became active, Kimi went into the pits ahead of his teammate a gamble which surely favored Felipe, and he came in subsequently in his next lap and managed to come out still leading the race.
Now, the action begins, the order is Felipe, followed by Fernando, Kimi, Glock, Lewis and Vittel. So technically, if in this order they finish, Lewis will win the championship by 1 point. But the drama started in the penultimate lap, Vittel overtook Lewis, thanks to Kubica the black marker and the crowd erupted because if Vittel finished ahead of Lewis then both Massa and Lewis will be tied at 97 points but since Felipe had won more races this year he will win the championship. And it seemed this will how it will finish, but this is where Formula 1 becomes highly unpredictable, the Toyota driver Timo Glock ran out of fuel and who was running fourth started cruising and by mere 100m to the finish line Lewis overtook him to take him to fifth and thereby winning the championship. The race couldn’t have got more spectacular than this.
Felipe was is all tears, but the McLaren camp was overjoyed, after Mika Hakkinen this is their first Formula 1 drivers championship and thereby Lewis Hamilton becomes the youngest racer in the Formula 1 history to win the drivers title. The constructor title went to Ferrari, no gifts for guessing that.
Come 2009, Albert Park will be roaring and the rivalry between Felipe and Lewis will reach to higher levels. So, another 4 months before the rivalry begins once again.
On the whole a dramatic season with an even dramatic finish. Congrats to Lewis, sorry for Felipe.
The weekend started perfectly for Ferrari and Felipe, was fastest in both the practice sessions and made a stunning perfect lap to clinch pole for the grand finale. Lewis, on the other hand was fourth fastest with Trulli and Kimi in between. Felipe had to finish at the top to win the title and Lewis had to finish anywhere between first and fifth place. The race started with a bit of drama when the formation lap was delayed by 10minutes due to sudden downpour. This resulted in drama as to which tyres the teams will choose, but thankfully the rain stopped. The first corner, as usual had some action with Nelson and David (who was on his last season.), he eventually had to end his final race without even completing a lap.
The race was just perfect for Felipe; he got the pole and lead the race from start to finish. Because of the rain, Trulli had to lose places which eventually got Fernando in second, Renault doing a sheer brilliance in the second half of the calendar. It was just perfect, till lap 67 when the rain gods showed up again and the pits became active, Kimi went into the pits ahead of his teammate a gamble which surely favored Felipe, and he came in subsequently in his next lap and managed to come out still leading the race.
Now, the action begins, the order is Felipe, followed by Fernando, Kimi, Glock, Lewis and Vittel. So technically, if in this order they finish, Lewis will win the championship by 1 point. But the drama started in the penultimate lap, Vittel overtook Lewis, thanks to Kubica the black marker and the crowd erupted because if Vittel finished ahead of Lewis then both Massa and Lewis will be tied at 97 points but since Felipe had won more races this year he will win the championship. And it seemed this will how it will finish, but this is where Formula 1 becomes highly unpredictable, the Toyota driver Timo Glock ran out of fuel and who was running fourth started cruising and by mere 100m to the finish line Lewis overtook him to take him to fifth and thereby winning the championship. The race couldn’t have got more spectacular than this.
Felipe was is all tears, but the McLaren camp was overjoyed, after Mika Hakkinen this is their first Formula 1 drivers championship and thereby Lewis Hamilton becomes the youngest racer in the Formula 1 history to win the drivers title. The constructor title went to Ferrari, no gifts for guessing that.
Come 2009, Albert Park will be roaring and the rivalry between Felipe and Lewis will reach to higher levels. So, another 4 months before the rivalry begins once again.
On the whole a dramatic season with an even dramatic finish. Congrats to Lewis, sorry for Felipe.
