Nov.2 - Timo Glock and Sebastian Vettel played a vital role in the outcome of the 2008 world championship, played out over a dramatic Brazilian grand prix where emotions ran high.
In the drizzly confusion on the last lap, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton lost his necessary fifth place to Toro Rosso's Vettel, only to win it back again at the final corner of the 71-lap race when Glock, who drives for Toyota, could not hold the Briton at bay on his unsuitable dry tyres.
The Felipe Massa camp in the Ferrari garage, having watched the Brazilian driver race to a dominant victory from pole position, initially celebrated winning the world championship against the odds -- before a sober team mechanic turned scenes of delight into despair by shouting the words "No, No!".
Massa, having also initially believed he had won the title, was in tears when he pulled into parc ferme, but ultimately congratulated Hamilton, declaring he knows "how to win, and how to lose, but for sure I am very emotional".
"That is racing. The race finishes at the chequered flag," said the devastated 27-year-old, who finishes the season one point shy of the title.
"We need to congratulate Lewis as he did a great championship, he scored more points than us so he deserves to be champion," said Massa.
Emotions were also running high when a reporter for the British broadcaster asked Hamilton for his thoughts in pitlane, before father and manager Anthony intervened, insisting his 23-year-old charge - now the youngest winner of the drivers' title in F1 history - return to the McLaren garage for a drink.
Hamilton Snr had already expressed his displeasure with the booing ranks of Brazilians, claiming the Massa supporters "should be sportspeople".
After regaining his composure, and a long and tearful embrace with his father, Lewis Hamilton recalled the sheer drama of the decisive final lap of the 2008 season.
"He (Vettel) got past me and I was told I had to get in front of him, and I couldn't believe it.
"I was trying my hardest to get to Vettel but he was just as quick as me, if not a little bit quicker.
"Then at the last corner I managed to get past Glock and I'm telling you it was just amazing. It was one of the toughest races of my life, if not the toughest," said the new world champion.
As if the protagonists' emotion was not enough, a physical scuffle broke out among the clamouring ranks of press and camera men, as they elbowed for position at the back of the McLaren garage.
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Driver Lewis Hamilton is the 2008 FIA Formula 1 World Champion
In one of the most dramatic finishes to a world championship ever, Lewis took the title by a single point after securing fifth position on the final corner of the final lap of the final race of the 2008 season. Lewis finished the year with 98 points, one point ahead of Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who won his home race at Interlagos this afternoon.
Heikki Kovalainen finished seventh - a result that helped the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team to second in the constructors' championship with 151 points. Ferrari amassed a winning total of 172 points.
At the age of just 23 years, 10 months and 26 days, Lewis is the youngest champion in Formula 1 history. He takes McLaren's 12th drivers' world title, and the third for the McLaren Mercedes partnership, which won the drivers' title in 1998 and '99 with Mika Häkkinen.
LEWIS HAMILTON, 2008 FIA FORMULA 1 WORLD CHAMPION
"The most dramatic race of my whole life. It's pretty much impossible to put this into words: I'm still speechless. It's been such a long journey, but I've always had the support of my family, the team, our partners and the fans. We did a fantastic job throughout the whole year and, with all the sacrifices we made, I'm so thrilled to be able to win this for everyone.
"Before it started to rain I was quite comfortable, and I was just focused on having a clean race. Then it started to drizzle and I didn't want to take any risks - but Sebastian got past me and I was told that I had to get back in front of him. I couldn't believe it. Then at the very last corner I managed to get past Timo - it was just amazing. This was one of the toughest races of my life, if not the toughest. I was shouting, ‘Do I have it? Do I have it?' on the radio. It was only when I took the chequered flag and got to Turn One that the team told me I was world champion. I was ecstatic."
HEIKKI KOVALAINEN
"The most important news today is that Lewis pulled it off; he did exactly what he had to do to win the championship. Everybody in the team deserves this title, particularly after what happened here one year ago, but the guys stayed focused throughout so congratulations to everyone. I'll now work even harder over the winter and hopefully next year's world champion will be on the other side of our garage!"
RON DENNIS
"Well, that was a really tough race. We never pushed hard, we never did anything silly, but of course the late rain made things extraordinarily tense. Even so, even when Sebastian got past Lewis, we never gave up, and Lewis never gave up, because we knew that Timo was on dry tyres. Lewis took his chance brilliantly, and the result was one of the most thrilling finishes in sporting history. I'm so proud of Lewis; I'm so proud of the team; everyone - every single one of them - did an absolutely fantastic job. Thanks, also, to Mercedes-Benz and all our partners - and, last but not least, congratulations to Ferrari on winning the constructors' championship."
NORBERT HAUG
"I am really, really happy for all of us at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. Everybody in the team worked so hard throughout the year. Thank you all, guys. Lewis finally won the title with one point ahead of Felipe Massa after he lost it by one point last year to Kimi in his first one in Formula 1. Congratulations to him. Lewis showed a very disciplined race today and I can imagine how hard it was for a driver like him who wants to win every race that he had to drive carefully to just get the necessary points. Congratulations to Ferrari on the constructors' title; this was a truly remarkable year for Formula 1."
