02/11/2008
NEWS STORY
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Whatever the outcome of today's race at Interlagos, make the most of it, for its all change in F1 from here on.
Next time you see F1 cars racing in anger they'll look and be a lot different, out go most of the aerodynamic add-ons and out go grooved tyres. OK, we're all happy to welcome back slicks, however, we will also have put up with KERS and various other devices (gimmicks?) aimed at making the sport greener and ultimately cheaper.
Make the most too of the unique atmosphere at Interlagos today, the partisan crowd cheering its hero and booing the opposition. Listen to the air-horns, hear the cheers watch the flags wave - even if, as predicted, the heavens let rip.
Next season the championship signs off in Abu Dhabi as another cash rich government pays FOM whatever is needed to become part of the F1 dream. The circuit will look the business, everyone will fall over themselves to tell you that this is the future - until the next new track is unveiled - but try to find the passion.
There are several factors to consider as we go into today's championship decider, not least the weather, but more of that later.
First off, it should be noted that a number of drivers are using their engines for the second successive race. In addition to Heidfeld, the Williams and Red Bull duo, not to mention Adrian Sutil, it should be noted that Lewis Hamilton is running the engine that he used in China. Whereas, Felipe Massa has a nice new Ferrari powerplant in the back of the F2008.
Note also that the first corner - or series of corners - (re)named in honour of the legendary Ayrton Senna, has witnessed more than its share of incidents over the years. For as long as we can remember, drivers have come to grief here, from Michael Andretti to Michael Schumacher.
While Felipe Massa has to win today, or at the very least finish second, everything else will depend on Lewis Hamilton, who merely has to bring the car home in the top five. However, as we are all well aware, this was virtually the same scenario last season, and we all remember what happened. In 2008, as in 2007, the title is Hamilton's to lose. While he is an out-and-out racer, he would be best advised to saved his racer's instincts for another day and settle for a softly-softly approach this afternoon.
All credit to Jarno Trulli for his magnificent qualifying lap, however, unless the heaves do open up, the Italian is likely to be filling his usual role as high-speed chicane this afternoon.
While Massa has looked good all weekend, teammate Raikkonen has been struggling, as he has for much of the season. The Finn knows what he has to do today, thing is, will he do it, can he do it? Then again, with an eye on the weather, we know how bad the Ferraris have been in the wet this year, who will ever forget Silverstone or Spa?
Today, more than ever, Heikki Kovalainen needs to raise his game, both in terms of assisting his teammate's cause and also that of his team, if it is to snatch the Constructors' Championship from Ferrari. While the Finn has had more than his fair share of bad luck this season, not forgetting the fact that the team have used him as a guinea pig for much of the year, Heikki hasn't always helped himself. Now is the perfect time to step up to the plate.
Whatever the weather, we expect to see another strong performance from Fernando Alonso, who will be keen to sign off the season in style. Talk elsewhere of him nerfing off his former McLaren teammate are not worthy of comment, no, he will not make things easy for Hamilton, but nor do we expect anything silly.
Expect another strong performance from Sebastian Vettel, while teammate Bourdais must use today to impress Gerhard Berger and Dietrich Mateschitz into giving him another chance next season.
While Robert Kubica continues to lose ground, particularly in qualifying, Nick Heidfeld continues to improve, and what better way to head off into the off-season than consolidating fifth in the Drivers' Championship, equalling his 2007 career best.
Timo Glock and Nelson Piquet can also be expected to be in there battling for a points finish, while Webber and Coulthard should not be counted out, both drivers particularly fond of the wet. As it happens, other than the Ferrari duo, and Giancarlo Fisichella, DC is the only man of the grid today who has won here, though that was back in 2001… the year when, thanks to the weather, only the Scot and Michael Schumacher went the distance. That year, the race was held in April, but even so the weather played a major role, who will ever forget (race leader) Juan Pablo Montoya being clouted from behind by Jos Verstappen? Then again, let's not forget the weather conditions here when Fisi took his famous win in 2003.
Whoever wins the title today, he will be thirtieth driver to win the crown in the fifty-nine year history of the Formula One World Championship. Should it be Lewis Hamilton, he will become the youngest World Champion since Fernando Alonso.
The day started overcast, and then, just after midday it began to rain. With around fifty minutes to go before the race gets underway, the rain has stopped, but the track remains damp and there's the threat of lots more rain to come. Indeed, even as we write this Bob Constanduros informs us that as the sky darkens there is a loud clap of thunder.
The first few cars leave the pits and among them is Hamilton. No rain, bit it is overcast, with some very dark clouds. As Hamilton takes his place on the grid, Massa is one of the few drivers to remain in the pits.
As he makes his way to the grid, Ron Dennis looks, and sounds, supremely confident. Asked if he feels nervous, he shrugs, grins and replies: "not a bit".
With twenty-five minutes to go, Massa leaves the pits, the crowd is ecstatic. The atmosphere is electric.
The clock ticks… ten minutes to go and while the clouds aren't quite so dark and Race Control insists that there is only a 50 percent chance of rain, drivers and various team members keep casting anxious glances to the sky. It's certainly very winds, which is sure to cause handling problems. The air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 35 degrees.
Three minutes to go and with the crew members already starting to leave the grid it starts to rain. Up go the umbrellas, on go the plastic macs. It starts as light drizzle but then it lets rip. Caught totally unawares, after all the cars are on dry tyres, Race Control delays the start by 10 minutes. As suddenly as it began, the rain stops.
As the rain stops out comes the sun, which leaves the teams with a difficult decision, stick with dry tyres or go for intermediates. Parts of the track still appear quite wet while others are already drying. Race Control claims that there will be no rain during the first thirty minutes of the race. Renault tells its drivers that no rain is expected for forty minutes.
Five minutes to go and as the safety car makes its way around the track it is clear that some part are wetter than others.
As they prepare to head off on the parade lap most drivers appear to have opted for intermediates. Kubica being one of the exceptions, he sticks with the medium dry compound. That said, at the end of the parade lap he pits for inters.
Most of the field gets away cleanly, except for Coulthard and Piquet. The Safety Car is immediately deployed. A tragic end to Coulthard's career, he deserved much more.
At the end of lap 1, behind the Safety Car, it's: Massa, Trulli, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Vettel, Alonso, Kovalainen, Bourdais, Glock and Webber. The replay shows that DC and Piquet were involved in two separate incidents, the Scot colliding with Nakajima after being tapped by Rosberg.
Fisichella pits at the end of lap 2, as Alonso, when asked, tells his crew that track conditions are the same as they were on the last lap.
The Safety Car pulls off at the end of lap 4, the race is back on. Thing is, the track is drying so it won't be long before the first drivers are pitting for dry tyres.
Kovalainen passes Alonso but gets out of shape and the Spaniard reclaims the position.
Kovalainen closes in on Alonso as Hamilton shadows Raikkonen, who is all over Trulli.
Rosberg and Button both pit at the end of lap 7, both changing to the medium dry tyres. The other (dry) option being soft.
Next time around, Bourdais and Glock pit, as do Sutil and Nakajima.
Fisichella, who changed to dries at the end of lap 2, is lapping just 2s off the leader's pace. Therefore it won't be too long before we see the leaders pit.
Vettel, Alonso, Webber and Barrichello all pit at the end of lap 9 as Fisichella goes quickest in the second sector. The leaders have to pit real soon.
A fire extinguisher goes off in the Honda pit, as Massa is the first of the top guns to pit. Kovalainen, Heidfeld and Kubica also pit.
Consequently, after 10 laps, Trulli leads Raikkonen and Hamilton. However, next timer around all three pit. As they rejoin, Raikkonen has leapfrogged Trulli, while Hamilton is behind the Italian in seventh.
Hamilton passes Trulli who loses it in the Senna Esses, losing several position in the process. Alonso posts a new fastest lap (17.443). A spin for Nakajima also.
The early stops have paid off for Vettel and Alonso who are running second and third. Raikkonen fourth, ahead of Fisichella, Hamilton and Glock. Raikkonen is over a second a lap slower than Massa, is he struggling or holding up the rest of the field, i.e. Hamilton.
Hard to believe we're writing this but Hamilton is having problems keeping pace with Fisichella, far less passing him. Out front, Massa leads Vettel by 0.9s with Alonso a further 1.1s down the road. The German is told to "stay close to Massa, stay close to Massa".
A 15.845 from Massa as Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, going on to post a new fastest lap (15.416).
At the start of lap 18, Hamilton makes his move on Fisichella and makes it stick. A brave move, especially in these tricky conditions.
"No more rain expected," Vettel is told. However, we've heard that one before haven't we.
Glock passes Fisichella, the German now 2.1s behind Hamilton and more of a threat to the McLaren driver than the Force India. Bourdais also prepares to pass the Italian veteran.
As Bourdais concentrates on Fisichella, Trulli makes a barnstorming move, causing the Frenchman to go cross-country. As a result, the Toro Rosso driver loses several places, while the Italian might well have incurred the wrath of the stewards.
With 50 laps remaining, it's: Massa, Vettel, Alonso, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Glock, Fisichella, Trulli, Kovalainen and Heidfeld. Bourdais has dropped to thirteenth.
Massa posts a new fastest lap (14.541), while Hamilton finally ups his pace, though Glock is closing in.
Try as he might, Massa cannot shake off Vettel, the German posting a new fastest lap (14.214) as he remains less than a second behind the Ferrari. The Brazilian hits back with a 14.161.
Kovalainen passes Trulli on the main pit straight to take eighth, as Vettel pits. That's a very early stop for the German.
Fisichella all but lays down the red carpet for Kovalainen, allowing the Finn through to take seventh on lap 29.
Alonso is told that his race is with Massa since Renault was expecting Vettel to stay out longer. Replay shows Hamilton locking up in Turn 1, which doesn't do his tyres any favours.
On lap 31, it is Hamilton who goes quickest, the McLaren driver posting 14.159 as Glock falls almost 2s behind. Out front, Alonso is 3.4s behind Massa, the Renault crew telling the Spaniard that he is two-laps longer than the Ferrari driver.
Glock goes quickest (14.057) as he refuses to give up his pursuit of Hamilton.
Button pits at the end of lap 34 as Massa posts 13.755, the Brazilian setting an awesome pace. Vettel, who has changed his strategy, could also be a threat to Hamilton.
Glock pits at the end of lap 36, promoting Vettel to fifth. Following a problem with the refuelling nozzle it's a long stop for the Toyota driver who rejoins in fourteenth.
At the end of lap 37, Massa pits. 9.4s later he's heading down the pitlane, rejoining in fourth behind Hamilton. Fisichella and Bourdais also pit.
At the end of lap 40, as predicted, Alonso pits, as do Hamilton and Barrichello. They rejoin in fourth and sixth.
With Vettel 4.8s behind him, Alonso is informed that the German will be stopping again. Which indicates that the Spaniard will not be stopping.
Kovalainen pits at the end of lap 42, as fellow-Finn Raikkonen leads Massa by 13s. However, next time around it is the 2007 World Champion who stops, as does Trulli. The Finn rejoins in fourth, 2.8s ahead of Hamilton.
Webber, who has only stopped once, is up to sixth, 5.9s behind Hamilton. Coulthard will be contemplating what might have been.
At the end of lap 48, Webber makes his second stop. Meanwhile, Hamilton is involved in a scrap with Kubica who is actually a lap down on the McLaren driver.
Vettel makes his third and final stop at the end of lap 51, rejoining in fifth behind Hamilton. The German is sure to hassle the British drivers, however, as long as he can hold on to fifth it's all that Hamilton needs. Elsewhere, Nakajima pits, the Japanese driver appearing to suffer as a result of that first lap coming together with Coulthard.
Alonso is told that "heavy rain" is expected, while Kubica is told that it "could rain in ten minutes". Thirteen laps remaining.
Massa leads Alonso by 11.7s, with Raikkonen third, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Kovalainen, Glock, Trulli, Webber and Heidfeld. Raikkonen closing to within 3.1s of Alonso.
Alonso and Raikkonen pick off Bourdais, the Finn clearly sensing that a Ferrari 1-2 could be on the cards, even if Massa's championship hopes are slipping away.
"Soon as you see rain on your visor let us know and we'll call you in," Rosberg is told. At which point the first spots begin to fall.
"A few spots falling on the main straight," Alonso is told, as Vettel closes right up on Hamilton. Seven laps remaining.
Heidfeld and Fisichella both pit, as do Rosberg and Barrichello, as they rain begins to fall ever harder.
At the end of lap 66, Alonso and Raikkonen pit as Hamilton attempts to hold Vettel at bay. Hamilton and Vettel also pit. Five laps remain.
Massa pits next time around, however, it's only raining on part of the track and not even that hard at that.
Glock is now ahead of Hamilton, pushing Hamilton back to fifth where Vettel is all over him. The Englishman has to hold off the German.
This is epic, Vettel is right on Hamilton's tail, as Kubica, who is a lap down. Vettel passes Hamilton and all eyes are on Glock who is still on dry tyres.
Hamilton pursues Vettel, as Glock's time worsen, however, time is running out.
Massa crosses the line, the win is his, but what about the title? It appears to be over, Hamilton has lost out… but wait, Glock has slowed, the German is in trouble. Hamilton passes the Toyota in the final corner, the title swings from Massa to Hamilton in a heartbeat.
Glock's last lap was a 1:44.731, the most important 104 second of Lewis Hamilton's life.
It's Massa, from Alonso, Raikkonen, Vettel, Hamilton, Glock, Kovalainen, Trulli, Webber and Heidfeld.
Kubica finishes eleventh, ahead of Rosberg, Button, Bourdais, Barrichello, Sutil, Nakajima and Fisichella.
Well, what can you say? It doesn't get much more edge of the seat than this. It's been a hit and miss season, but it ends with a real thriller, a final few laps that Hollywood would find hard to match.
Not the best of season, and many will be glad it's over, however, what a superb end, what a way to send F1 fans into the winter as they anticipate all the changes lined up for 2009.
At the last gasp, Raikkonen takes third in the Drivers' Championship, and Ferrari takes the Constructors' Championship once again.
Lewis Hamilton becomes the thirtieth driver to lift the Formula One World Championship trophy, and though this was not his greatest performance, he has shown often enough that, apart from the odd moment of madness, he is fit to join the ranks of some of the illustrious names that precede him.
A superb drive from Felipe, but sadly, Ferrari reliability, not to mention his own moments of madness were to cost him dearly.
Then again, we know that when there is a winner, there has to be a loser.
Congratulations Lewis, Ron, Martin and all the team at McLaren, surely nobody would begrudge you this, certainly after some of the shenanigans of recent times.