17 years since the 2008 Brazilian GP: Lewis Hamilton’s first title and Ferrari’s last. The 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix delivered one of Formula 1’s most dramatic finales.

On November 2, 2008, Formula 1 fans witnessed one of the most incredible championship finales in history — a moment that has recently returned to the spotlight due to Felipe Massa’s ongoing legal case related to the Singapore Crashgate scandal.

Between past and present

For younger Formula 1 fans, or for those who started following the sport only in recent years, it might seem that the dramatic ending of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was something completely unique. Yet, back in 2008, at Interlagos, Formula 1 experienced a finale that was perhaps even more spectacular and emotional — a true page of sporting history. The story has gained renewed relevance today as Felipe Massa pursues legal action in London against those who managed and governed Formula 1 during that controversial period.

On November 2, 2008, the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos concluded two hours of pure tension, emotion, and unpredictable twists, crowning Lewis Hamilton as Formula 1 World Champion for the first time. At the same time, Ferrari secured what remains, at least for now, their last Constructors’ title. Seventeen years later, it feels remarkable to think that the British driver and the Scuderia from Maranello now find themselves on the same side of the grid.

What would become one of the most iconic races in F1 history initially looked like a formality. After the Chinese Grand Prix, Felipe Massa arrived at his home race — the season finale — seven points behind Lewis Hamilton in the standings, with little hope of turning things around. At that time, a race victory was worth ten points, so the Ferrari driver needed to win and hope that Lewis Hamilton finished outside the top five to take the title.

A premonitory downpour

Moments before the start, a sudden rainstorm hit the São Paulo circuit, forcing race control to delay the start by ten minutes — a clear sign that this would not be an ordinary afternoon. Massa took control from the beginning, while Hamilton — still haunted by the memory of losing the title under similar circumstances on the same track one year earlier — hovered between fourth and fifth position. He was far from the race lead but in a position safe enough to secure the championship.

With just eight laps remaining and Hamilton calmly holding fourth place, the rain began to fall again. At first, the intensity was mild, but nearly every driver in the points chose to pit for wet-weather tyres — except Toyota’s Timo Glock, who gambled on staying out on dry tyres. The strategy allowed the German to climb from seventh to fourth while others made their pit stops. After the round of stops, Hamilton dropped to fifth — the final position he needed to retain the championship if Massa won — but he soon came under pressure from the fast-charging Toro Rosso of a young Sebastian Vettel, who had already proven his wet-weather skill by winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza earlier that season.

The role of Vettel and Glock

In a breathtaking twist, at the end of the third-to-last lap, a small mistake by Hamilton at the uphill final corner opened the door for Vettel to overtake him, temporarily handing the title to Massa. Over the final, agonizing laps, Lewis Hamilton was unable to find a way back past Vettel, and it seemed certain that the Ferrari driver from São Paulo would be crowned World Champion in front of his home crowd. But the rain was intensifying, making it nearly impossible for those still on slick tyres, like Timo Glock, to maintain control.

During the final lap, Timo Glock struggled to keep his Toyota on track as Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton rapidly closed in. In the very last corner, both cars passed him at double speed — a move that returned Hamilton to fifth place, the position he needed to clinch the championship. In one of the most unbelievable conclusions in Formula 1 history, Lewis Hamilton became World Champion for the first time, while Ferrari, already leading McLaren by 11 points heading into Brazil, secured their 16th Constructors’ title. At the time, no one could have imagined that it would remain their last — at least for the next 18 years.