Holy shit.
Both drivers and teams looked like they were racing to see who wanted it the least all season, but that is way too much of an emotional way to end the year, for both teams. Amazing, and I thought it was all over with a few laps to go.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many conflicting emotions playing out on one driver’s face. Winning on home soil is always special, but Felipe was obviously gutted.
Well done and well deserved, Lewis. He really should have had this title a year ago.
That was the tensest last few laps I’ve ever seen in an F1 race. With most of this season’s excitement coming from the wet races, they need to install trackside sprinklers that randomly turn on and off during the race.
And poor Felipe’s dad:
Considering the points they took away from Lewis after the ridiculous penalty in Belgium, this was the only fitting way the season could end.
There were several questionable FIA rulings against McLaren-Mercedes this season, that was only one of them.
No doubt. That one was just the most egregious IMO.
I’m not feeling too much sorrow for Felipe’s dad, that’s for sure.
Felipe was the better driver this year, IMO, he was just let down by his team too many times. I was really impressed by his improvement since last year and even since the beginning of this year. Amazing that Lewis almost threw it away again. That was the most exciting finish to a season I’ve ever seen.
Incredible finish. Its almost worse that Massa & co. were too busy celebrating to realize that Hammilton got his final place at the last second.
Taking a fully victory lap thinking you got your longshot win at the championship and then having it crushed has to be awful.
Its one thing to lose the world championship, but to believe you actually got it before finding out 60 seconds later that you didn’t. Ouch.
I diagree with that first comment 100%. Hamilton clearly had the inferior car. Kovalainen can’t be that bad. Raikkonen and Massa were almost always on par with one another and when they weren’t, it was often Massa who looked kind of silly. Silverstone?
Massa really hasn’t shown that he can do anything other than win races from pole. That’s not the sign of a better driver. Hamilton did more with a little less and given equal equipment (not ever likely), I think he’d smoke Massa.
Also, let’s not forget Spa. And China, with Kimi blatantly ignoring the team orders rule to give Massa some more points late in the season. Without those two things (among others), this championship wasn’t even close.
Without his engine blowing in Hungary and his team’s major screw-up in Singapore, Massa wins it fairly handily (even without gift in Spa). I’m not sure how you can conclude that the McLaren is “clearly” inferior because Kovy is a mediocre driver and always has a ton of fuel onboard due to his equal #1 status. The cars were neck-and-neck all year, with the advantage sometimes changing from one race to the next.
Massa certainly did look silly at Silverstone, which is why I didn’t say Felipe was the better driver at Silverstone. I don’t disagree that Lewis is a better driver in some sort of abstract, absolute way. I just think Massa did a better job this year. Maybe I only think this because I had a pretty low opinion of him for most of his career, including last year, and I was really impressed when he started getting things done when he had to. His drive at Hungary in particular.
I have to give him props for being a good sportsman after the race. He always looks like a petulant bitch when he comes in 2nd, but on the podium and in the interview afterwards, he seemed quite reasonable.
I thought he drove well most of the year. No fanfare or drama, even as the “number two” driver, just solid qualifying and getting the job done on race day, as much as anyone can expect in this sport. Better driving in the rain, a little more push when off pole position, and better reliability would make him tough to beat.
I don’t have any big favorites in F1 these days (I lost my hyperpartisanship after Schumacher retired), so I would’ve been fine with either of the drivers winning the championship. A Felipe win would not have been an Eddie Irvine-like steal by an undeserving driver; he clearly has what it takes to win, though I still wouldn’t rank him alongside the talents of Lewis, Kimmi, or Fernando. Felipe is fast on most weekends, when he should be fast EVERY weekend. But based on the past actions against McLaren and Hamilton, I’m glad the championship ended up in Lewis’ hands. The outcry would have been deafening, otherwise.
Roll on 2009, and a proper 4-way fight. Go Heidfeld!
I know… long time thread revival here, but there was a racing thing that happened last night and it was crazy.
Did you say you attend those races live? Did you watch that one and then find it on YouTube?
I do attend a bunch of midget car races in a year, yes. Sprint cars too (bigger… 900-1000 horsepower… these have 400 HP) all at local tracks.
I was not at that race last night because I’m in PA and they’re at the Speedway in Indianapolis, but I do pay for floracing.com which is $30 a month and I get all the USAC Races during that month for that price. I’m watching night two right now on my phone while waiting for laundry in fact…
Brief intermission atm.
They do highlights packages for almost all the dirt stuff now and often available the next day on YouTube. Subscribe to USAC Racing, Speedshift TV and World of Outlaws for lots of great stuff.
Remember this kid… 16 years old. He will be a star in a top series one day.
That’s twice now Kyle Larson tried to feed him a right rear in turn four and Zeb Wise beat him just this year alone. Larson and Christopher Bell are two of the most naturally talented guys I’ve seen in years and both ran out of talent last night, which just shows how good this kid Wise is now.
Here’s the highlights from the last time they raced each other and Wise took the win. I was at this race to watch and take photos…
I love grassroots racing. That said, I prefer sportscars over dirt, but regardless getting to see local folks out there turning wrenches and racing hard is tough to beat.
Boys… I’m already Back Home Again…
That was taken Friday during practice. We’re on our way to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing right now.
Nince! I hope it’s a good race!
Who are you rooting for?
