2008

Now a rookie no longer, Lewis Hamilton was ready to prove himself once again in 2008. If 2007 had been his arrival, 2008 was the year he was determined to become World Champion. Standing in his way were Ferrari's reigning champion Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa, the latter now emerging as a genuine title contender in his own right.

Hamilton and Massa traded blows throughout the season, with no shortage of controversy. Costly mistakes from both drivers, a post-race penalty that demoted Hamilton from victory to third place at Spa, and the events of Crashgate all caused the championship to swing back and forth. By the time Formula One arrived in Brazil, either driver could still leave as World Champion.

Massa did everything he possibly could. He won his home Grand Prix in front of thousands of passionate Brazilian fans, and as he crossed the finish line Ferrari erupted into celebration. For a brief moment, everyone in the garage believed Felipe Massa had become Formula One World Champion.

But Hamilton only needed fifth place to secure the title, and with just a handful of corners remaining he had fallen to sixth behind Toyota's Timo Glock, who was struggling on dry tyres as rain returned to the circuit. Hamilton overtook Glock at the final corner of the final lap, reclaiming the position he needed to become World Champion by a single point. Massa's celebrations turned to heartbreak almost instantly, and Formula One witnessed one of the most dramatic championship finales in sporting history.