Hamilton Takes F1 Championship

Britain's Lewis Hamilton has finished fifth in an action packed Brazilian Grand Prix and in doing so has taken out the 2008 Formula 1 Drivers Championship. He becomes the youngest man to ever win the title.

In an incredible last lap of the Grand Prix, Hamilton drove his McLaren Mercedes tight with great dedication to finish in fifth after a nervous race. On that remarkable last lap, Hamilton managed to slip passed Toyota's Timo Glock into the necessary fifth spot to claim the championship. Up until that point, it seemed likely the driver's championship would be heading to Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who had won his hometown race.

Hamilton was unaware he had won the title as he crossed the line but said “they (the team) told me and I was ecstatic”. Hamilton described the difficulty of the Brazilian race in determining the driver championship “this was one of the toughest races of my life”. However for Hamilton he could only ever express his feeling one way - “it's a dream”

The race was won comprehensively by Massa in wet and dry conditions, who broke down into tears on the podium after the race. Renault's Fernando Alonso was second and Massa's Ferrari team mate Kimi Raikkonen was third.

Twenty three year old Hamilton drove a tactical race avoiding drama to win the title in only his second year on the circuit. He was content to let Massa in the Ferrari race ahead and win.

Hamilton's win in the driver's championship makes him Britain's ninth champion overall and the first since Damon Hill won the title in 1996. Hamilton gives McLaren their first champion since Mika Hakkinen in 1999.

By winning the drivers championship, Hamilton becomes the youngest man to win. The previous youngest title holder was Spaniard Fernando Alonso who was 24 when he won in 2005.

Brazilian Grand Prix result:

1. Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari
2. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault
3. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari
4. Sebastian Vettel (GER) STR-Ferrari
5. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes
6. Timo Glock (GER) Toyota
7. Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren-Mercedes
8. Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota
9. Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull-Renault
10. Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber

2008 F1 Drivers Championship

1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 98
2. Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 97
3. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN) Ferrari 75
4. Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber 75
5. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault 61
6. Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 60
7. Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren-Mercedes 53
8. Sebastian Vettel (GER) STR-Ferrari 35
9. Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota 31
10. Timo Glock (GER) Toyota 25