2008 Brazilian Grand Prix

The 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, officially the XXXVII Grande Prêmio do Brasil was the eighteenth and final round of the FIA Formula One World Championship, staged at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil, on 2 November 2008.'18. Brazil 2008', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2014), https://www.statsf1.com/en/2008/bresil.aspx, (Accessed 19/03/2020)'Brazil 2008: Last lap agony and ecstasy.', crash.net, (Crash Media Group, 02/11/2008), https://www.crash.net/f1/race-report/64188/1/brazil-2008-last-lap-agony-and-ecstasy, (Accessed 19/03/2020) The race would see Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa duel for the 2008 World Championship, which would ultimately be decided by an overtake on the final lap.
Arriving in Brazil it was Hamilton who held the advantage in the Championship, holding a seven point lead over Massa. Likewise, they're teams and would arrive with the Constructors Championship to fight for, with the latter starting the finale on the upper-hand with eleven points in hand.
Qualifying for the finale saw Massa gain an advantage, as he claimed pole position ahead of Jarno Trulli. Hamilton would manage to secure fourth behind Massa's teammate Kimi Räikkönen, with the Brit knowing that fifth place in the race, regardless of Massa's finishing position, would get him the title.
Rain would plague race day, with a late-shower resulting in everyone bar Robert Kubica changing their tyres to intermediates on the grid. The Polish racer instead gambled on slicks, although he would dive into the pits at the end of the formation lap having found the conditions too tricky, meaning he started from the pitlane.
The start saw Massa sprint into an early lead, with the rest of the field getting away in grid order to leave Hamilton in fourth behind Räikkönen. At the back, meanwhile, David Coulthard's final race ended at the second corner when he was tapped into a spin by Nico Rosberg, which pushed him into Kazuki Nakajima and broke his suspension.
Nelson Piquet, Jr. then had an accident all on his own at turn three to bring out the Safety Car, with the circuit already drying enough for some to gamble on slicks even behind the SC. When the race resumed on lap five Massa retained the lead from Trulli, Räikkönen and Hamilton, while Rosberg and Jenson Button made early stops for slicks a lap later.
The latter duo's strong pace soon saw the rest of the field flood into the pits, although there would be some major changes to the order. Indeed, while Massa had retained the lead, Sebastian Vettel had leapt into second, Fernando Alonso had jumped to third, Räikkönen moved ahead of Trulli but dropped to fourth and Giancarlo Fisichella streaked up from last to fifth, and was harassing Räikkönen having been the first to stop.
Massa and Vettel exchanged several fastest laps at the head of the field, as Hamilton found himself stuck in sixth behind Fisichella. Indeed, it was only on lap eighteen that the Brit finally elbowed his way through, before being promoted an additional place when a low-fuelled Vettel stopped on lap 27.
The order settled after that, with the second round of stops seeing Massa retain the lead ahead of Alonso, while Räikkönen remained in third ahead of Hamilton. That order would hence give Hamilton the Championship title, and even a charging Vettel could do little to affect the title picture.
However, the skies over São Paulo were darkening, and on lap 63 the rain returned, prompting Heidfeld to dive in for inters very early. The rain increased and Alonso and Räikkönen dived in on lap 65, with Hamilton and Vettel following in a lap later, while Massa remained out until lap 67.
Timo Glock was the only driver to remain on slicks, and hence jumped to fourth in the field as the rain intensified in the final two laps. Hamilton, meanwhile, had slipped to sixth as Vettel had elbowed his way ahead of him, and hence started the final lap looking as though he would miss-out on the title for a second season.
Massa duly crossed the line to claim the race victory, while Alonso and Räikkönen completed the podium. Hamilton, meanwhile, would remain in sixth, until he and Vettel passed a very slow Glock, whose pace had collapsed on the final lap, at the final corner, promoting the Brit to fifth. That simultaneously made Hamilton the World Champion by a single point, and broke the hearts of Massa, Ferrari and the 80,000 strong home crowd.
==Background==
The Championship fight was down to just two drivers ahead of the season finale in Brazil, with Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa the two pretenders. Hamilton would hold a fair advantage ahead of the finale, arriving in Brazil with a seven point lead, and would therefore win the title if he finished fifth or higher, regardless of what Massa could do. Massa, meanwhile, would have to either win the race with Hamilton lower than fifth, or finish second with Hamilton finishing eighth or out of the points.
The Constructors Championship would also go down to the finale, with just eleven points separating the top two in the field. In a reversal of the Drivers' Championship, however, it was would would land in São Paulo with the advantage, and would win the title if they outscored by seven points. The Anglo-German squad, meanwhile, would likely have to claim second and fifth minimum to beat the Scuderia, although that would not be enough if Ferrari scored more than a point.
===Entry list===
The full entry list for the is outlined below:
No. 	Driver 	Entrant 	Constructor 	Chassis 	Engine 	Model 	Tyre
1 	Kimi Räikkönen 	Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro 	 	F2008 	 	056 2008 2.4 V8 	
2 	Felipe Massa 	Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro 	 	F2008 	 	056 2008 2.4 V8 	
3 	Nick Heidfeld 	BMW Sauber F1 Team 	 	F1.08 	 	P86/8 2.4 V8 	
4 	Robert Kubica 	BMW Sauber F1 Team 	 	F1.08 	 	P86/8 2.4 V8 	
5 	Fernando Alonso 	ING Renault F1 Team 	 	R28 	 	RS27 2.4 V8 	
6 	Nelson Piquet, Jr. 	ING Renault F1 Team 	 	R28 	 	RS27 2.4 V8 	
7 	Nico Rosberg 	AT&T Williams 	 	FW30 	 	RVX-08 2.4 V8 	
8 	Kazuki Nakajima 	AT&T Williams 	 	FW30 	 	RVX-08 2.4 V8 	
9 	David Coulthard 	Red Bull Racing 	 	RB4 	 	RS27 2.4 V8 	
10 	Mark Webber 	Red Bull Racing 	 	RB4 	 	RS27 2.4 V8 	
11 	Jarno Trulli 	Panasonic Toyota Racing 	 	TF108 	 	RVX-08 2.4 V8 	
12 	Timo Glock 	Panasonic Toyota Racing 	 	TF108 	 	RVX-08 2.4 V8 	
14 	Sébastien Bourdais 	Scuderia Toro Rosso 	 	STR3 	 	056 2007 2.4 V8 	
15 	Sebastian Vettel 	Scuderia Toro Rosso 	 	STR3 	 	056 2007 2.4 V8 	
16 	Jenson Button 	Honda Racing F1 Team 	 	RA108 	 	RA808E 2.4 V8 	
17 	Rubens Barrichello 	Honda Racing F1 Team 	 	RA108 	 	RA808E 2.4 V8 	
20 	Adrian Sutil 	Force India F1 Team 	 	VJM01 	 	056 2007 2.4 V8 	
21 	Giancarlo Fisichella 	Force India F1 Team 	 	VJM01 	 	056 2007 2.4 V8 	
22 	Lewis Hamilton 	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 	 	MP4-23 	 	FO 108V 2.4 V8 	
23 	Heikki Kovalainen 	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 	 	MP4-23 	 	FO 108V 2.4 V8 	
Source:'Brazil 2008: Entrants', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2015), https://www.statsf1.com/en/2008/bresil/engages.aspx, (Accessed 19/03/2020)	Source:'Brazil 2008: Entrants', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2015), https://www.statsf1.com/en/2008/bresil/engages.aspx, (Accessed 19/03/2020)	Source:'Brazil 2008: Entrants', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2015), https://www.statsf1.com/en/2008/bresil/engages.aspx, (Accessed 19/03/2020)	Source:'Brazil 2008: Entrants', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2015), https://www.statsf1.com/en/2008/bresil/engages.aspx, (Accessed 19/03/2020)	Source:'Brazil 2008: Entrants', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2015), https://www.statsf1.com/en/2008/bresil/engages.aspx, (Accessed 19/03/2020)	Source:'Brazil 2008: Entrants', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2015), https://www.statsf1.com/en/2008/bresil/engages.aspx, (Accessed 19/03/2020)	Source:'Brazil 2008: Entrants', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2015), https://www.statsf1.com/en/2008/bresil/engages.aspx, (Accessed 19/03/2020)	Source:'Brazil 2008: Entrants', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2015), https://www.statsf1.com/en/2008/bresil/engages.aspx, (Accessed 19/03/2020)
==Practice Overview==
==Qualifying==
===Q1===
===Q2===
===Q3===
===Qualifying Results===
The full qualifying results for the are outlined below:
Pos. 	No. 	Driver 	Team 	 	Q1 	Q1 	 	Q2 	Q2 	 	Q3 	Q3 	Grid
Pos. 	No. 	Driver 	Team 	 	Pos. 	Time 	 	Pos. 	Time 	 	Pos. 	Time 	Grid
1 	2 	Felipe Massa 	 	 	1 	1:11.830	 	4 	1:11.875	 	1 	1:12.368	1
2 	11 	Jarno Trulli 	 	 	6 	1:12.226	 	10 	1:12.107	 	2 	1:12.737	2
3 	1 	Kimi Räikkönen 	 	 	2 	1:12.083	 	6 	1:11.950	 	3 	1:12.825	3
4 	22 	Lewis Hamilton 	 	 	3 	1:12.213	 	3 	1:11.856	 	4 	1:12.830	4
5 	23 	Heikki Kovalainen 	 	 	8 	1:12.366	 	1 	1:11.768	 	5 	1:12.917	5
6 	5 	Fernando Alonso 	 	 	4 	1:12.214	 	9 	1:12.090	 	6 	1:12.967	6
7 	15 	Sebastian Vettel 	 	 	11 	1:12.390	 	2 	1:11.845	 	7 	1:13.082	7
8 	3 	Nick Heidfeld 	 	 	9 	1:12.371	 	7 	1:12.026	 	8 	1:13.297	8
9 	14 	Sébastien Bourdais 	 	 	13 	1:12.498	 	8 	1:12.075	 	9 	1:14.105	9
10 	12 	Timo Glock 	 	 	5 	1:12.223	 	5 	1:11.909	 	10 	1:14.230	10
11 	6 	Nelson Piquet, Jr. 	 	 	7 	1:12.348	 	11 	1:12.137	 	 	 	11
12 	10 	Mark Webber 	 	 	12 	1:12.409	 	12 	1:12.289	 	 	 	12
13 	4 	Robert Kubica 	 	 	10 	1:12.381	 	13 	1:12.300	 	 	 	13
14 	9 	David Coulthard 	 	 	15 	1:12.690	 	14 	1:12.717	 	 	 	14
15 	17 	Rubens Barrichello 	 	 	14 	1:12.548	 	15 	1:13.139	 	 	 	15
16 	8 	Kazuki Nakajima 	 	 	16 	1:12.800	 	 	 	 	 	 	16
17 	16 	Jenson Button 	 	 	17 	1:12.810	 	 	 	 	 	 	17
18 	7 	Nico Rosberg 	 	 	18 	1:13.002	 	 	 	 	 	 	18
19 	21 	Giancarlo Fisichella	 	 	19 	1:13.426	 	 	 	 	 	 	19
20 	20 	Adrian Sutil 	 	 	20 	1:13.508	 	 	 	 	 	 	20
Source:	Source:	Source: 	Source:	Source:	Source:	Source: 	Source:	Source:	Source: 	Source:	Source:	Source: 	Source:
===Grid===
** Kubica started the race from the pitlane.
==Race==
===Report===
===Result===
The full results for the are outlined below:
Pos. 	No. 	Driver 	Constructor	Laps 	Time/Retired	Grid 	Points
1 	2 	Felipe Massa 	 	71 	1:34:11.435 	1 	10
2 	5 	Fernando Alonso 	 	71 	+13.298s 	6 	8
3 	1 	Kimi Räikkönen 	 	71 	+16.235s 	3 	6
4 	15 	Sebastian Vettel 	 	71 	+38.011s 	7 	5
5 	22 	Lewis Hamilton 	 	71 	+38.907s 	4 	4
6 	12 	Timo Glock 	 	71 	+44.368s 	10 	3
7 	23 	Heikki Kovalainen 	 	71 	+55.074 	5 	2
8 	11 	Jarno Trulli 	 	71 	+1:08.433 	2 	1
9 	10 	Mark Webber 	 	71 	+1:19.666 	12 	
10 	3 	Nick Heidfeld 	 	70 	+1 Lap 	8 	
11 	4 	Robert Kubica 	 	70 	+1 Lap 	PL 	
12 	7 	Nico Rosberg 	 	70 	+1 Lap 	18 	
13 	16 	Jenson Button 	 	70 	+1 Lap 	17 	
14 	14 	Sébastien Bourdais 	 	70 	+1 Lap 	9 	
15 	17 	Rubens Barrichello 	 	70 	+1 Lap 	15 	
16 	20 	Adrian Sutil 	 	69 	+2 Laps 	20 	
17 	8 	Kazuki Nakajima 	 	69 	+2 Laps 	16 	
18 	21 	Giancarlo Fisichella	 	69 	+2 Laps 	19 	
Ret 	6 	Nelson Piquet, Jr. 	 	0 	Accident 	11 	
Ret 	9 	David Coulthard 	 	0 	Collision 	14 	
Source:	Source:	Source: 	Source: 	Source:	Source: 	Source:	Source:
==Milestones==
* Lewis Hamilton declared as the FIA Formula One World Championship Drivers Champion.
** This was Hamilton's maiden F1 title.
* claimed the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship for Constructors title.
** This was the Scuderia's sixteenth Championship crown, and their last, to date.
* 88th and final Grand Prix for as a constructor.
** This was also Honda's final Grand Prix as an engine supplier until the 2015 Australian Grand Prix.
* 246th and final Grand Prix start for David Coulthard.
* 150th Grand Prix start for Nick Heidfeld.
* Felipe Massa claimed his eleventh and final victory.
* Ferrari claimed their 209th win as a constructor.
** 210th win for Ferrari as an engine supplier.
* Final race to be broadcast by UK's ITV and Spain's Telecinco, the rights would be handed to BBC and La Sexta respectively for the next season.
* Last race using grooved tires, before slick tires were re-introduced in the next season.
==Standings==
Lewis Hamilton was declared the FIA Formula One World Championship Champion, ending the season with 98 points and five race wins. Felipe Massa hence fell shy of a maiden crown by just a single point with six victories, while Kimi Räikkönen claimed third on the final day with 75 points. Robert Kubica was next, level on 75 with the Finn, while Fernando Alonso secured fifth with 61 points.
In the Constructors Championship it was who had emerged as the 2008 Constructors Championship, having scored 172 points across the season. would end the season as runners-up in second, claiming 151 points, while may have rued their decision to stop development early on, as they finished third on 135 points. and would completed the top five, while were the only team not to score having completed the full F1 campaign.
World Championship for Drivers	World Championship for Drivers	World Championship for Drivers	World Championship for Drivers
Pos. 	Driver 	Pts. 	+/-
1 	Lewis Hamilton 	98 	
2 	Felipe Massa 	97 	
3 	Kimi Räikkönen 	75 	1
4 	Robert Kubica 	75 	1
5 	Fernando Alonso 	61 	1
6 	Nick Heidfeld 	60 	1
7 	Heikki Kovalainen 	53 	
8 	Sebastian Vettel 	35 	
9 	Jarno Trulli 	31 	
10 	Timo Glock 	25 	
11 	Mark Webber 	21 	
12 	Nelson Piquet, Jr. 	19 	
13 	Nico Rosberg 	17 	
14 	Rubens Barrichello 	11 	
15 	Kazuki Nakajima 	9 	
16 	David Coulthard 	8 	
17 	Sébastien Bourdais 	4 	
18 	Jenson Button 	3 	
World Championship for Constructors	World Championship for Constructors	World Championship for Constructors	World Championship for Constructors
Pos. 	Team 	Pts. 	+/-
1 	 	172 	
2 	 	151 	
3 	 	135 	
4 	 	80 	
5 	 	56 	
6 	 	39 	
7 	 	29 	
8 	 	26 	
9 	 	14 	
Only point scoring drivers and constructors are shown.
==References==
Images and Videos:
* 
References:
Category:2008 Grands Prix
Category:Brazilian Grand Prix
Category:Grand Prix articles
Category:Formula One races in Brazil