Sometimes the most carefully planned strategies can be undone by one crucial factor – luck. In Brazil, fortune favoured Lewis Hamilton. But over the season, RBS ambassador Sir Jackie Stewart believes he was undoubtedly a worthy champion – albeit with lots to learn.
"This was one of those days when you need luck. And on this day, the luck was with Lewis Hamilton. The Make it happen moment of the race was on the last lap, when Toyota's Timo Glock – who seemed certain to finish fifth – slipped back to sixth.
Felipe Massa did everything he could have done, as did Ferrari – Kimi Raikkonen also finished ahead of Lewis. But in the end, it was Lewis's good fortune that Glock, with dry tyres, ran out of grip on an increasingly wet track. I don't think the championship has ever been won on the last quarter of the last lap of the last race.
Even though Massa secured pole position, when Lewis qualified fourth fastest, it looked like a ready-made achievement for him, as no-one could imagine him failing to finish fifth. Of course, in the end, he managed it. Just.
Lewis Hamilton is a worthy world champion, even though he hasn't won as many races as Massa this year. I'd like to congratulate Lewis on winning the driver's championship, and also Ferrari on their constructor's crown.
Lewis isn't in Michael Schumacher's class yet. You can't be with so little experience. He has, of course, made some pretty critical errors during the year, not the least of them in Canada. Raikkonen's gesture after that collision was quite interesting – without being aggressive or unkind, just silently pointing at the red light up there. Very nicely done.
It's not impossible that Massa will be named Driver of the Year, and he's certainly the most improved driver of 2008. His ‘peak and valley' performances have all disappeared now, and he really has driven superbly this season. The McLaren was a better car for a good part of the year, but in Brazil the Ferrari was better, at least when driven by Massa.
Formula One has had a good year. The championships have been in doubt until the very last race, and you can't ask for much more than that. I only hope that the discussions which take place over the next few weeks to decide Formula One's direction in the future years are as constructive as they should be.
In the economic climate that the world is currently living in, sport will suffer, like other businesses. The rule makers have got to be very careful. Sometimes change of any kind creates even more expense. So perhaps, during these difficult times, we should batten down the hatches and be satisfied that what we currently have has provided an incredibly competitive season."
