2008 Brazilian GP

OSRN 1

Round 18 of the 2008 F1 season at Sao Paulo.

Transcript

00:00:00For most of the season, a driver drives against the track,

00:00:04but at the end he drives against other drivers.

00:00:08It has come to that. A season of 18 races is now a season of one race.

00:00:14Lewis Hamilton leads Felipe Massa by 7 points.

00:00:18Last year, here in Brazil, in an essentially identical situation,

00:00:23Hamilton led Massa's Ferrari teammate, Kimi Räikkönen, by the same 7 points.

00:00:28And he lost. He squandered a 7-point lead.

00:00:32What he would have given then to have that race back.

00:00:35Today he gets that second chance.

00:00:38But while it is a second chance to win, it is also a second chance to lose.

00:00:43And Hamilton's season, although brilliant, has been far from mistake-free.

00:00:48And today he faces Massa on the Ferrari driver's home turf.

00:00:52Hamilton. Massa.

00:00:54Each thinking only about the other.

00:00:56Each driving a race that must be geared to his rivals.

00:00:59Each knowing it's him or me.

00:01:02Next in the Grand Prix of Brazil.

00:01:17The names roll off the tongues of Formula 1 fans around the world.

00:01:21From Marina, Fangio and Ascari, to Brabham, Clark and Hill,

00:01:24to Fittipaldi, Stewart and Lauda, to Senna, Mansell and Schumacher.

00:01:28Today a new name will be added to the role of honor in Formula 1,

00:01:32as we welcome you to Speed's live exclusive coverage of the final race of 2008,

00:01:36the Brazilian Grand Prix.

00:01:38In which either Lewis Hamilton or Felipe Massa

00:01:42will become the 30th man to win a Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship.

00:01:47Let's get right to our BMW track analysis with David Hobbs.

00:01:50David?

00:01:51Well, let's go on board with Felipe Massa.

00:01:53This is a very technical track, full of compromises.

00:01:55Nearly 200 miles now into Turn 1.

00:01:58The Senna S, a downhill road falling away there,

00:02:00Camber not helping as you go through the right-hand sweep at the end.

00:02:03And this long left-hander, you want to make the best of this,

00:02:05because there's a long straight in front of you

00:02:07with some overtaking opportunities at the end.

00:02:09The track is a bit bumpy. It's relatively average in the width.

00:02:12It's only 2.7 miles, 2.6 miles long.

00:02:15But a lot of elevation change.

00:02:17And going up here, the viradura, as they call it, up to this right-hander.

00:02:21This is where you need compromise.

00:02:22Right here, all this sector 2, you really need a lot of downforce.

00:02:26As you can see, the road falls away.

00:02:28You've got two or three pretty slow corners

00:02:30with these nasty downhill left-handers.

00:02:33You've got two of those. This is the first one.

00:02:34Then it turns uphill again.

00:02:36A lot of braking goes on here,

00:02:38but it's not what you'd call a hard circuit on brakes,

00:02:40but very difficult to get the car set up.

00:02:42Then there's the second downhill left-hander,

00:02:44which is a very important corner because it's pretty well flat out.

00:02:47Then hard on the brakes here.

00:02:49Then you've got to get the car really sorted

00:02:51because from here to the start-finish line

00:02:53is a long, long flat-out section uphill.

00:02:56So you need little drag, little downforce here as possible.

00:02:59But just that sector we've been through,

00:03:00you need as much as you can possibly get.

00:03:02So a very tricky track to set up for.

00:03:04There's no doubt about it.

00:03:06And certainly a worthy place to have the final of the championship.

00:03:10And believe it or not, as we go back to live pictures,

00:03:12look at everybody wiping their faces on their sleeves.

00:03:14If you were with us for the Acura pre-race show,

00:03:16you know the sun was shining.

00:03:18But seconds ago, as David was talking about the racetrack,

00:03:21a cloudburst arrived over the racetrack.

00:03:24The fans went for their ponchos.

00:03:26Hamilton said, let me hold the umbrella.

00:03:28And he may have said to his McLaren crewman there,

00:03:31I think this could be playing right into my hands, boys.

00:03:35We have an aborted start officially.

00:03:37Formula 1 has backed up the start to 10 minutes after the hour.

00:03:41So we have a little more time to chat.

00:03:44Look at that wet racetrack.

00:03:46I've never seen anything quite like that.

00:03:48Why would they abort the start, Steve?

00:03:50Well, the problem is that it's now been pushed back by 10 minutes to roll off.

00:03:54But the sporting regulations state that the tires that the cars will start on

00:03:58must be fixed securely to the chassis five minutes prior to the roll off.

00:04:03Well, they would have set up for dry weather conditions.

00:04:06But with that sudden cloudburst, the FIA and the teams need now

00:04:09to just verify with one another that they will be allowed to change tires

00:04:13and start on intermediate or full wet tires.

00:04:16So that's the reason for pushing it back.

00:04:18We saw tires being frantically brought to the track there over the pit wall

00:04:22just about five minutes ago.

00:04:24And you see now the Bridgestone engineers running around the cars,

00:04:27checking the situation and checking with the FIA

00:04:29what they're going to do about starting the race.

00:04:31And of course, it's not a very long track,

00:04:33but obviously it could be wet here and not wet elsewhere.

00:04:36But look at the way the sun has come out.

00:04:38And obviously that Brazilian sunshine at this time of year is pretty powerful sun.

00:04:42So it could, you know, in another 10 minutes,

00:04:44it could pretty well dry out again completely.

00:04:46Well, all the excitement, we forgot to introduce ourselves once again.

00:04:49I'm Bob Varsha with David Ogg, Steve Matchett and Peter Windsor.

00:04:52My thanks to Lee Diffie for standing in for the Chinese Grand Prix two weeks ago.

00:04:56Gosh, he was good too, Bob. He was really good.

00:05:01And while we get out the brooms to sweep the racetrack,

00:05:04let's get down to Peter Windsor. Peter.

00:05:06Well, Bob, all I can do at this point is play,

00:05:08try to play Brazilian weather forecaster.

00:05:10David's pretty much on the knuckle there.

00:05:12I mean, the sun is shining yet again.

00:05:14It's hot. It's sticky.

00:05:15But right in front of me, the pit crew are sweeping away the water

00:05:18as if they're trying to get the water off greens at a golf course.

00:05:21It's just the most bizarre situation.

00:05:23Of course, McLaren have been saying all weekend their strategies

00:05:26based around the fact that they thought it was going to rain

00:05:29just on the race start.

00:05:30And we've seen their commitment to that in the way they put Hekki Kovalainen

00:05:34quite unusually on Hitco brakes,

00:05:36the brakes with which he raced in the wet at Silverstone and at Monaco.

00:05:39Very unusual for McLaren to take that step.

00:05:41Whereas we have radio.

00:05:50Whereas Lewis is on the regular carbon industry brakes.

00:05:53But you know what, guys, it may be clear for 40 minutes,

00:05:56but what tyres are they going to put on at the start?

00:05:58That is a big question.

00:05:59How quickly is the track going to dry?

00:06:01Who's going to take a gamble start on dry tyres?

00:06:03Who's going to be on the intermediates?

00:06:05Yes, that is a very, very good point indeed.

00:06:08Because any driver that believes it's not going to rain

00:06:10and is prepared to risk starting on dry weather tyres,

00:06:13should the track continue to dry, will be looking very good indeed.

00:06:17But if there is any chance of that rain continuing,

00:06:20and remember, the track right now will be very greasy,

00:06:23you really want to be on intermediate tyres.

00:06:25Well, talk about throwing the dice just prior to rolling off.

00:06:29He started to race about two minutes prior to the roll-off time.

00:06:32Boy, oh boy.

00:06:33I mean, and it is very wet.

00:06:35It was a real frog swallower when it happened.

00:06:38But of course, with the sun coming out again,

00:06:40it will dry out very, very quickly.

00:06:42And of course, it may not be wet all the way around.

00:06:44So it's a huge gamble, especially as the weather forecast

00:06:46is now saying no rain for the next 40 minutes.

00:06:49No rain for 40 minutes.

00:06:50There you can see the Ferrari mechanics and the McLaren mechanics

00:06:53running left and right, carrying tyres over the pit wall and back again.

00:06:57Guys, I've got to tell you, I think there'll be a very mixed opinion

00:07:00of what to do to start the race right now.

00:07:02Let's have a look at our Mercedes-Benz weather report

00:07:04while it is what it is, because it could change in just a moment.

00:07:08Air temperature, 86 degrees.

00:07:10That's 20 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it was

00:07:12when the teams practiced on Friday.

00:07:14The track temperature had been up over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

00:07:17It is now down below that number.

00:07:20And this week, Ron Dennis, the chairman of the McLaren group,

00:07:22talked about how his team had spent over $7 million

00:07:26running their supercomputer, checking every part on the car,

00:07:29testing everything, trying to be as ready as possible for this race.

00:07:33He says he is absolutely confident.

00:07:35They left no stone unturned.

00:07:37There is no scenario that they have not prepared for.

00:07:39But I wonder if he expected a half inch of rain in about 60 seconds

00:07:44within minutes of the start of this Grand Prix.

00:07:47As Lewis Hamilton makes his bid to become the first

00:07:50British world champion since Damon Hill in 1996.

00:07:54Massa goes for the first since 91 for Brazil.

00:08:00Speeds coverage of the FIA Formula One World Championship

00:08:03is brought to you by Bridgestone.

00:08:05Passion for excellence.

00:08:08Welcome back live to Sao Paulo, Brazil,

00:08:10where once again the sky has grown dark

00:08:13after that flash cloudburst moments before the scheduled roll-off

00:08:18for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

00:08:20Things just get more and more interesting down here.

00:08:25Here's Lewis Hamilton's girlfriend

00:08:27from the Pussycat Dolls.

00:08:29Nicole Scherzinger.

00:08:31There's his brother, Nicholas.

00:08:32At the end of this race, we are told,

00:08:34the Brazilian promoters will get family members

00:08:36for the World Championship winner to wave the checkered flag.

00:08:40That should be very interesting.

00:08:42I think it's a very, very nice idea, too.

00:08:46Moments ago, down on the grid,

00:08:48our Peter Windsor spoke with Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone.

00:08:53Mr. E, I've got to ask you, Massa or Hamilton?

00:08:57Mathematically, you've got to reckon Hamilton, haven't you?

00:09:01Is that what you're saying, then?

00:09:02But luck, you never know.

00:09:04He was unlucky last year, Lewis, so let's see.

00:09:07Do you think Hamilton will come out of the first quarter

00:09:09without anybody having touched him?

00:09:11Yeah, I don't think there's going to be anybody.

00:09:13No, I think there's no problem like that.

00:09:15Thanks very much. We'll see.

00:09:16If the car doesn't let him down, he'll win the championship.

00:09:19Thanks, Bernie.

00:09:22Never a man without an opinion. Bernie Ecclestone.

00:09:26While we're in break, we saw the pace car go around,

00:09:28and the track is definitely dry.

00:09:30Roundabout turn three area, very, very dry.

00:09:32But then as they come up to those tight curves,

00:09:34the Lorenzo and Cote d'Avelo, it's all wet again.

00:09:37And, of course, it's wet down here.

00:09:40Here's a look at the line-up for the race,

00:09:42and you see those dark clouds in the background.

00:09:44This is going to be a very interesting afternoon.

00:09:50There's Fernando Alonso, who will start right behind

00:09:53his old, unhappy McLaren teammate, Lewis Hamilton.

00:09:57Kovalainen right next to him.

00:09:58Sebastian Vettel keeping up his good qualifying record.

00:10:01Sebastian Bordet right behind him.

00:10:04Nelson Piquet in his first Brazilian Grand Prix

00:10:07in front of the home crowd.

00:10:08Does not have a lot of experience at this racetrack, however.

00:10:11He has raced it in GT cars, in endurance racing,

00:10:16but not in a Formula 1 car.

00:10:19And Robert Kubica right down there in 13th spot.

00:10:22Boy, the last two races have been a disaster.

00:10:24Nakajima, two out qualifying.

00:10:26Nico Rosberg for one of the few times this year.

00:10:29Both of them way off the pace.

00:10:31Especially as they went very well on Friday.

00:10:33Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella

00:10:36tied on qualifying this year.

00:10:41Nine for each.

00:10:42That's our Bridgestone starting grid for today's race.

00:10:46Steve?

00:10:47It's going to be very interesting to see what tires are on the car.

00:10:49I thought I saw wet marked.

00:10:51Yeah, there it is right there on the cover.

00:10:53So they're on intermediate tires.

00:10:54And guys, my concern now is,

00:10:56although it may not be very wet on the starting grid,

00:10:59São Paulo gets very, very damp with water

00:11:02running across the track.

00:11:04Down in turns two and three at the back straight,

00:11:07you'll see sort of rivulets of water running across the track.

00:11:10So these guys have got to be very, very careful

00:11:14to make sure they don't go off on the formation lap.

00:11:17Have a good look at the track as they go around

00:11:19and get ready for the start of this very, very important Grand Prix.

00:11:24And with that, the Field of 20 rolls off.

00:11:28Well, McLaren were hoping for wet weather,

00:11:30but I think this has been a bit premature.

00:11:32And I think it's drying up too much.

00:11:34It's not quite what they had in mind

00:11:36when they talked about a wet race.

00:11:38Crew heads for the pit lane.

00:11:40It's a counterclockwise circuit.

00:11:43Yeah, I meant to add that

00:11:45when I was talking about the circuit.

00:11:47It is counterclockwise.

00:11:49Turkey being the other one.

00:11:51So it's very tough on the old deck.

00:11:53A lot of tough corners here.

00:11:55Look at the sight lines from the grandstand.

00:11:58You can see the entire bowl in which this track was built.

00:12:01It was once nearly twice as long,

00:12:03and you'll get a glimpse of some of the old parts

00:12:05of the old racetrack as the day goes on.

00:12:07There is the championship.

00:12:09That leads right into our Toyota storyline for this race.

00:12:12There is only one, of course.

00:12:14Lewis Hamilton, with his 7-point lead

00:12:16in the world championship, starts 4th.

00:12:18If he finishes anywhere in the top 5,

00:12:20no matter what Felipe Massa does,

00:12:22Hamilton will be champion for the first time in his career.

00:12:25For Massa's part, he starts from pole,

00:12:27and while he needs a poor finish from Hamilton,

00:12:30Massa must finish 1st or 2nd

00:12:32to have any chance of clinching his first world championship

00:12:36at the track where he began racing as a young boy

00:12:39on the karting track that sits behind the grandstand

00:12:42on the long downhill run to the lakes.

00:12:44Let's listen to the McLaren radio.

00:12:46Understood, Lewis. We saw that on the safety car lap.

00:12:49The rest of the circuit should be fairly damp from 6.

00:12:52OK, Lewis, your brake temperatures are very good.

00:12:54Recommend brake balance forwards.

00:12:56Recommend the brake balance adjust.

00:13:01Hamilton, notice that dryness that you did too, David.

00:13:04Yeah, coming up to the start,

00:13:06I'll tell you what these guys got.

00:13:08Your heart rate's beating anyway at the beginning of these races

00:13:11with a delay like that, and the rain as well.

00:13:13It's not everywhere, so it's going to be very slippery

00:13:16in some places, not so slippery in others.

00:13:18Right here is where it's going to be slippiest of all on the grid.

00:13:21Oh, boy, the old tension's running very, very high here.

00:13:24All tyres seem to be intermediate.

00:13:26I was worried about that. I was just concerned

00:13:28I hadn't seen a good look at the Ferraris' tyres relative to McLaren.

00:13:31McLaren, certainly Lewis Hamilton running on the inters,

00:13:34as are the Ferraris. I think everybody, guys, with wet tyres.

00:13:38Here we go. Difficult traction conditions.

00:13:40A very difficult first corner.

00:13:42Massa from pole, Hamilton from fourth.

00:13:45Oh, boy, this is going to be a real grip race.

00:13:48With both men carrying the weight of a nation's hopes,

00:13:51England and Brazil,

00:13:53two nations that have produced so many world champions,

00:13:56it is down to this race.

00:13:59Well, Hamilton's just got to get through Turn 1

00:14:02to keep himself clear.

00:14:04I just saw Robert Kubica dive into the pits.

00:14:07I wonder whether or not he's changing tyres to tighten the drives

00:14:10or maybe reshaping the car.

00:14:11Yeah, there he is. You're right.

00:14:12Oh, show us the car.

00:14:14Well, nevertheless, it's time for the lights

00:14:16for the final race of the 2008 season.

00:14:26Good launch by Massa from pole

00:14:28as Jarno Trulli leads the cars on the dirty line,

00:14:31and that includes Lewis Hamilton, who gets away slowly.

00:14:33He'll have Kovalainen at his right rear wheel

00:14:36as they dive into the Senna S's.

00:14:38Hamilton remains fourth behind Massa, Trulli, and Raikkonen.

00:14:42Sebastian Vettel.

00:14:43Oh, we've got a car.

00:14:44Is that one of the Williams cars?

00:14:47It's David Coulthard in the white car, I believe,

00:14:50and Kaz Nakajima in the Williams.

00:14:52Vettel's.

00:14:54Alonso around the outside of Kovalainen.

00:14:57Those two had a great battle two weeks ago in China on the first lap.

00:15:01Absolutely. I was just about to say that Kovalainen did a good job

00:15:04of getting in front of the Renault of Alonso,

00:15:06but it's not the case now.

00:15:08Already Alonso's got past Kovalainen.

00:15:10We're on board Kovalainen's McLaren.

00:15:13And a safety car will be deployed.

00:15:17Wow, Kovalainen made a terrific start.

00:15:19I thought he'd managed to dust off Alonso,

00:15:21which is one of their big concerns,

00:15:23but Alonso flew two and three, managed to catch up with him.

00:15:26Now a safety car's come out,

00:15:27probably because of that beached car of Coulthard's

00:15:29in the middle of the track.

00:15:30And notice the tree branches blowing in the background.

00:15:32There's a good breeze blowing, and that will help dry the track

00:15:35as you look at Nelson Piquet climbing out on lap one

00:15:38of his home Grand Prix.

00:15:40And David Coulthard's terrific Formula One career,

00:15:44it appears, will come to an end in the very first turn.

00:15:50Pit lane is open, guys.

00:15:51So if anybody wants to go in and refuel,

00:15:54they are allowed to do that.

00:16:00Massa passes pit in.

00:16:03We'll see if anyone takes this opportunity to go in.

00:16:09Now Robert Kubica's move there right at the start of the race

00:16:12to dive into the pit.

00:16:13If he has taken those dry weather tyres,

00:16:15and we did see the BMW mechanics with them ready,

00:16:18he could be looking good here.

00:16:21Absolutely.

00:16:22Much like what happened to Fernando Alonso

00:16:23on the streets of Singapore,

00:16:25where he pitted just before the safety car was dispatched

00:16:28and moved from 15th or so right up into the top five.

00:16:32We'll return live to Brazil.

00:16:35Welcome back live to Brazil

00:16:36as Giancarlo Fisichella brings the Force India Ferrari

00:16:39into the pits.

00:16:40The field's still behind the safety car.

00:16:43It'll be interesting to see whether he goes to dry tyres.

00:16:46We believe Robert Kubica brought the BMW Sauber in

00:16:49and put dries on.

00:16:51Let's take another look at the start

00:16:54after we listen to the Renault radio.

00:16:56On track, Fernando.

00:17:07Dry everywhere but two and three.

00:17:11Yeah.

00:17:12Let's take another look at the start

00:17:14and down into turn one

00:17:15where that collision took David Coulthard

00:17:17out of his final Grand Prix.

00:17:19Good start for Massa on the left.

00:17:21Good stop for Vettel who got past Alonso

00:17:24as they come into the corner.

00:17:25Here's Alonso just in front of Alonso there.

00:17:29Now look further back for the blue and white Williams

00:17:32going around the outside.

00:17:33That's Nico Rosberg.

00:17:34He ploughs into the back of David Coulthard's white car

00:17:37who spins and then center punches

00:17:39a completely innocent Kaz Nakajima.

00:17:42Well, boy, that's just what a way to end your career.

00:17:45I mean, just so bitterly disappointing.

00:17:50David Coulthard is wearing a helmet camera.

00:17:52We'll show that to you in a moment.

00:17:54There's an idea of the visibility

00:17:56as the drivers went in to the Senna S's.

00:18:03Now we'll go on board with Coulthard.

00:18:06This is that helmet cam, which is a great idea.

00:18:08I think they've got the camera mounted

00:18:09just a little bit low in the helmet.

00:18:11Right coming up here.

00:18:12Huge opposite lock.

00:18:13Too late.

00:18:14Belt.

00:18:15There goes Kaz Nakajima.

00:18:16Takes the front suspension off.

00:18:17So the car really bashed at both ends straight away.

00:18:20And poor old David Coulthard.

00:18:22His very last Grand Prix.

00:18:23Out on turn two.

00:18:26Can't get much worse than that.

00:18:29Well, Martin Whitmarsh, David Ryan in the center

00:18:32and Ron Dennis all have something to think about.

00:18:34Meanwhile, over at the Ferrari...

00:18:38brain trust.

00:18:40Computers are whirring.

00:18:42Not just here at the racetrack,

00:18:43but on the other side of the world

00:18:44in Maranello and Woking in England.

00:18:47Well, this is certainly throwing a spanner in the works

00:18:49as far as strategy is concerned.

00:18:52They're going to have to rethink now.

00:18:53Rethink fuel consumption.

00:18:55Fuel consumption will drop.

00:18:56The cars won't use anywhere near the amount of fuel.

00:18:59About 30% less fuel they'll use behind the safety car.

00:19:02There's your graphic for the safety car in this lap.

00:19:05But now, really, the pressure is all on Ferrari and Massa.

00:19:09Thinking about where Hamilton is,

00:19:11Hamilton and McLaren merely now have to react

00:19:14to whatever Ferrari do in terms of tire strategy.

00:19:17Here's another look at the start.

00:19:19Great getaway by Massa.

00:19:21It was a terrific start by Massa.

00:19:23Hamilton being careful.

00:19:24Kovalainen watching his teammates right rear.

00:19:28Forza!

00:19:34Steve, absolutely right about

00:19:36Lewis being in the prime position now

00:19:38in terms of reacting to anything Felipe does.

00:19:40But what we do think is that Lewis is on a 2-stop, basically,

00:19:43and Felipe on a 3-stop.

00:19:44And I guess it's debatable right now

00:19:46as to which is the better strategy.

00:19:48I guess the 2-stop gives you a slightly bigger window

00:19:50to be able to react to changing conditions,

00:19:52whereas a 3-stop, the window's going to be that much smaller.

00:19:56Yeah, and as more and more of these laps tick by,

00:19:58the advantage of being on a 3-stop light strategy

00:20:01is falling away.

00:20:02You'd be on light fuel to get away from the pack.

00:20:05Here we are, boys.

00:20:06The race is about to begin again.

00:20:0818 cars still in the race.

00:20:10And there's one of those rivers across the racetrack

00:20:12you talked about earlier, Steve.

00:20:14Boy, it couldn't get wet at a worse spot.

00:20:17Kimi Raikkonen looking at Trulli

00:20:20and Hamilton looking at the Ferrari.

00:20:23Kovalainen goes under Alonso.

00:20:26That was 4th, uh, 6th.

00:20:28And he needs...

00:20:29Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

00:20:32And again, he couldn't do it.

00:20:34And I just want to reiterate,

00:20:36that is exactly what Kovalainen's job is to do,

00:20:39get in front of that Renault

00:20:40and take the Renault out of the equation

00:20:42to allow Hamilton to pull away from Alonso.

00:20:46Alonso has reacted again

00:20:48and got past the sister McLaren.

00:20:50Well, I think Kovalainen was suffering there.

00:20:52We thought in qualifying he had the least downforce

00:20:55because he's very, very fast in the straight line.

00:20:57And of course, when it's a bit damp,

00:20:59that'll really play against you.

00:21:00Of course, he's drying out very quickly,

00:21:02as we thought it would.

00:21:03The dry line forming already

00:21:04on that damp part of the track.

00:21:07Hamilton now come under pressure from Vettel.

00:21:09Yes, he is.

00:21:10And he could let Vettel by,

00:21:11but he certainly does not want to let Alonso by as well.

00:21:14On board with Kovalainen on the restart.

00:21:17Watching his battle with Alonso.

00:21:22I tell you what,

00:21:23that Alonso just never, ever gives up, does he?

00:21:26He is the most relentless driver out there.

00:21:28He really is.

00:21:30He got what he needed there.

00:21:31He forced Kovalainen into an error

00:21:33and swept on past.

00:21:34As David Coulthard looks on,

00:21:36getting ready for a TV career

00:21:38with British television beginning next year, we are told.

00:21:41Vettel, Alonso, Kovalainen,

00:21:43Bourdais, Glock, Webber,

00:21:46Barrichello,

00:21:47Eleven, Heidfeld,

00:21:48gets in front of Barrichello.

00:21:50Could this be Rubens Barrichello's final Grand Prix?

00:21:53He has no assurances from Honda.

00:21:55He says he's talking with some other teams.

00:21:57The most experienced driver in Formula 1 history.

00:22:00He came into the sport a year ahead of David Coulthard.

00:22:02Rubens Barrichello wants to keep racing.

00:22:05Kovalainen now really putting some pressure onto Alonso.

00:22:09And of course, Vettel is

00:22:11starting to put some pressure onto Hamilton.

00:22:14Yep.

00:22:15And Bourdais on Kovalainen.

00:22:19Let's ride along.

00:22:31Felipe Mass at the moment is driving off,

00:22:33but we do think he's pretty light.

00:22:36You know, guys, we all smirked when Fernando Alonso said

00:22:39he was going to do all he could to help Felipe Mass win.

00:22:41But you know what?

00:22:42Right now, he can actually do something.

00:22:44Because if he holds up Heikki Kovalainen,

00:22:46he's taking away Heikki as one of McLaren's major cards.

00:22:49And that's what Fernando's doing right now.

00:22:51There's no way Heikki's going to get past easily.

00:22:55Raikkonen looks down the inside of Trulli.

00:22:57Jarno Trulli doing well.

00:22:59He is a spectacular qualifier.

00:23:01But we have come to expect Trulli

00:23:03to be passed by the front-running cars

00:23:06in the early laps.

00:23:07But right now, he is hanging on in second for Toyota.

00:23:16Down the Subida do Lago.

00:23:18Descent to the lake.

00:23:20The top wet-weather driver this year

00:23:22seems to have been overall pretty much Lewis Hamilton.

00:23:25But of course, Kimi Raikkonen, excellent in the wet.

00:23:27Kovalainen, very, very good in the wet.

00:23:29Felipe Massa says he's good in the wet,

00:23:31but he didn't look like it in Silverstone.

00:23:33But nevertheless, he drove very, very well at Monte Carlo.

00:23:36He made one mistake.

00:23:37But I mean, obviously, that's all it took.

00:23:39But still, up until that time,

00:23:40he'd driven impeccably in the wet.

00:23:41And he's driving very well

00:23:43in these very tricky conditions here.

00:23:45And put Alonso and Vettel on that list.

00:23:47Robert Kubica is down there in 17th spot

00:23:50on the dry tyres,

00:23:51lapping a good bit slower than these guys at the moment,

00:23:54but sort of hanging in there, hoping.

00:23:56Yeah, and the engineers and the brain trust

00:23:58up and down the paddock will be looking

00:24:00with great scrutiny at Robert Kubica's lap times

00:24:04around the 22 to 23s.

00:24:06Because that will be the key now

00:24:08of when to bring the car in

00:24:10to change onto dry-weather tyres.

00:24:12At the moment, most of the lap times

00:24:14are around the 19s and the 20s

00:24:16on the intermediate tyres.

00:24:18Kimi Raikkonen trying every way

00:24:20to get around Jarno Tulli.

00:24:22But Jarno Tulli is certainly not going to make it.

00:24:24Jarno Tulli, but Jarno Tulli

00:24:26is certainly not going to give up without a fight.

00:24:28There's that water running across the track

00:24:30that runs down Turn 1 across Turn 2.

00:24:32And as they exit Turn 3 here,

00:24:34it's very dry down here.

00:24:36Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button

00:24:38take to the pit lane.

00:24:41From 13th and 14th.

00:24:43Kimi Raikkonen not giving up here without a fight.

00:24:45He is definitely going to bound it a turn

00:24:47if he can get past...

00:24:48Oh, dry tyres there.

00:24:49Yeah, here we go, boys.

00:24:50We're taking the gamble,

00:24:51pushing on to the harder

00:24:53of the dry weather tyres

00:24:55and a lot of front wing being cranked on the car.

00:24:57More downforce to try and give

00:24:59more aerodynamic grip and therefore

00:25:01more stability to the car.

00:25:03But wow, it is still very slick out there.

00:25:05There's about...

00:25:07Robert Kubica's times are around a 22, 23.

00:25:09Massa, around the 20s.

00:25:11So the intermediate tyres

00:25:13are still the fastest tyres

00:25:15at the moment.

00:25:16Well, Robert Kubica at the moment

00:25:18is 20 seconds behind the leader.

00:25:20The leader should come in and stop now.

00:25:22Robert Kubica could, could get to the front.

00:25:25Looking at here.

00:25:26This is Heidfeld going by Weber.

00:25:29That was for 10th place.

00:25:33Nick Heidfeld

00:25:34certainly coming to life the last couple of races.

00:25:36Born with his teammate Robert Kubica.

00:25:38Here goes Kimi Raikkonen again trying to get around.

00:25:40I think he's just trying to get out of that spray

00:25:42and if he can pick up a position,

00:25:44so much the better.

00:25:47Sebastian Bordet and Timo Glock

00:25:49hit from the latter parts of the top 10.

00:25:51And it's Hamilton losing ground to Massa

00:25:53by, you know, pretty much a half a second a lap.

00:25:59Sutila Nakajima hit.

00:26:02His eyes are coming out.

00:26:03Remember Singapore,

00:26:04where Nico Rosberg and Williams

00:26:06took a deliberate penalty

00:26:09and then got the advantage of about

00:26:11seven laps of hard running

00:26:13before they were finally called in

00:26:14to serve the black flag

00:26:15for pitting illegally behind the safety car.

00:26:17And he still wound up on the podium.

00:26:20Wow, well, we're seeing a lot of guys.

00:26:23More pit hijinks.

00:26:24Rosberg and Button.

00:26:26Oh, and Button's not going to give an inch.

00:26:28A lot of guys now switching over

00:26:30to the dry tyres and cranking wing on

00:26:32in a response to the drying conditions.

00:26:35And guys, I keep talking about Robert Kubica

00:26:37and looking at Kubica's times.

00:26:38Of course, we saw the dry weather tyres

00:26:40out in pit lane.

00:26:41I didn't actually see them on the car.

00:26:43So we're going to have to treat that with,

00:26:44well, that information in mind

00:26:46that we didn't actually see

00:26:47dry weather on the tyre,

00:26:48dry weather tyres go on the car.

00:26:49However, many cars have now come into the pit

00:26:52and taken that gamble

00:26:53and switched over to dry tyres.

00:26:54Looking for water now.

00:26:55Yeah.

00:26:56Kovalainen, meanwhile,

00:26:57has slipped nearly three seconds

00:26:58behind Alonso.

00:26:59He looked like he was going to give him

00:27:00a run for his money,

00:27:01but Kovalainen has slipped back.

00:27:03And as Peter said,

00:27:04that is very, very vital.

00:27:06Vettel and Alonso hit the pit lane

00:27:08from fifth and sixth.

00:27:11And Webber pits the Red Bull

00:27:12behind them as well.

00:27:13I guess nobody wants to wait any longer

00:27:15to get onto the dry.

00:27:16Well, I'll tell you what,

00:27:17that going into turn one there

00:27:19is still very, very slippery.

00:27:22Now Giancarlo Fisichella

00:27:23in the Force India Ferrari

00:27:24who was on the dry

00:27:25has just went purple in the middle sector.

00:27:27That's the twistiest part of the racetrack.

00:27:30And purple means he is the fastest man of all.

00:27:34So expect everybody in very, very soon.

00:27:37Rubens Barrichello heads for the pit lane

00:27:39on board with Nick Heidfeld.

00:27:45The key to look to the intermediate tyres

00:27:47is you'll see one stripe around the tyre.

00:27:50One groove.

00:27:52That's just, if you like,

00:27:53an optical illusion.

00:27:54The way the camera shows the tyre up

00:27:56is only that one groove shows.

00:27:57So they are the intermediate tyres.

00:27:59The dry weather tyres, of course,

00:28:01have got the four.

00:28:02Oh, we've got a problem here.

00:28:03Fire extinguisher?

00:28:05That's in the Honda pit.

00:28:06They must have spilled fuel.

00:28:08I think something's broken.

00:28:09And McLaren reacting.

00:28:12Dry tyres, presumably.

00:28:13Kovalainen was the fastest man in a straight line,

00:28:16but hurting the midsection.

00:28:17Massa's in the pit.

00:28:18Massa's in the pit.

00:28:19Massa pits from the lead.

00:28:20All right, boys.

00:28:23Where's the harmony?

00:28:24Off with the inters.

00:28:25Winesome wing onto the car.

00:28:27You see these mechanics both sides

00:28:28onto the front wing.

00:28:30Dry weather tyres on the car.

00:28:32Kovalainen in.

00:28:33And released.

00:28:34You see Heidfeld diving into the BMW pits.

00:28:36There's Kovalainen ducking into the McLaren.

00:28:38As Massa comes back out.

00:28:48Long time at the right rear.

00:28:49Oh, yeah.

00:28:53That pit lane is terrible.

00:28:54So that's going to let Alonso and Vettel

00:28:56wave by a blue.

00:28:57Oh!

00:28:59That was Fernando Alonso getting sideways.

00:29:01Look at them all sliding through the air.

00:29:03They've got those dry tyres.

00:29:04It's very slippery down there

00:29:05for these dry tyres.

00:29:06Now, I've just seen Kubica's come up on time

00:29:08and scoring, gone into the pit.

00:29:09So I'm going to guess, guys,

00:29:10they actually did not take those tyres.

00:29:13See Massa making adjustments on the steering wheel.

00:29:18Jarno truly moves to the race lead

00:29:20from second with Massa's pit stop.

00:29:22That's Kimi Räikkönen in the Ferrari just behind.

00:29:24Yeah, so now we've got truly Räikkönen and Hamilton,

00:29:27the top three runners at the moment

00:29:29in this race.

00:29:30And they're going to have a great time.

00:29:32Räikkönen and Hamilton,

00:29:33the top three runners at the moment.

00:29:35These guys have not changed tyres.

00:29:37And here we go.

00:29:38Now, and Hamilton behind.

00:29:40So the top three coming in now

00:29:42to change on to dry weather tyres.

00:29:48Looking for Massa to retake the lead,

00:29:50followed by Kovalainen and Heidfeld.

00:29:55Nice and steady, boys.

00:29:57Nice and steady.

00:29:58Changing.

00:30:01Change there.

00:30:03Good.

00:30:04That's exactly what you need to do

00:30:05as far as McLaren are concerned.

00:30:07Oh, oh, oh, right out in front of Hamilton.

00:30:09Wow.

00:30:10Well, truly said at the top of the show.

00:30:12Hey, I am racing my race.

00:30:14I'm taking care of my race and for Toyota.

00:30:18Massa, massive slide there,

00:30:20but he held it well.

00:30:21Vettel just behind him.

00:30:23And then Alonso gets past Hamilton.

00:30:28And is that Fisichella behind?

00:30:30Alonso, who will slide in behind Massa,

00:30:32but ahead of Trulian Hamilton.

00:30:34Now, Hamilton.

00:30:35What does Hamilton do here, David, with the Toyota?

00:30:37Does he want to get past the Toyota?

00:30:39He's got to get past the Toyota.

00:30:41Hamilton is down in seventh spot now.

00:30:45But he has got to be very careful.

00:30:47Exactly. There's a long way to go.

00:30:50But they did shuffle him out of...

00:30:52They did a poor job on their pit strategy there.

00:30:59There's the running order.

00:31:00Remember, a top five for Hamilton

00:31:02means he is world champion,

00:31:04no matter what Felipe Massa does.

00:31:06But with Massa in first place,

00:31:09Hamilton has to hoist himself up the running order.

00:31:17Wow, there's the water.

00:31:18Whoa, and another one.

00:31:21It just runs across the track at that point as well.

00:31:24Down in turn three and then around the back of the track,

00:31:2610, 11, and 12 on the start to climb up.

00:31:29Nakajima!

00:31:32And no damage.

00:31:33Boy, that's the second time he spun at turn two

00:31:35and had no damage.

00:31:37I don't know if he got no damage.

00:31:38The way he got speared by Coulthard.

00:31:40You're on board with Hamilton going by Trulli.

00:31:44Alonso sets a fast lap.

00:31:48Blocked in.

00:31:50Bordet, get by Trulli.

00:31:52That is so slippery down there, that turn one.

00:31:55Well, that's answered the question

00:31:56of what Hamilton needs to do to Trulli.

00:31:58Trulli has made that decision for them.

00:32:00Hamilton now well clear of Trulli.

00:32:02Mark Webber eyeing Nick Heidfeld.

00:32:12Boy, it's slippery right here on braking.

00:32:15Trulli, Trulli goes slide off.

00:32:17You just watch his hands, the speed of reaction there.

00:32:20Just not too much.

00:32:21You know, you've got to not overcorrect.

00:32:23Overcorrect is so easy, but...

00:32:27And then...

00:32:28Trulli has another huge slide.

00:32:32That's where Glock goes by.

00:32:34Oh, and Bordet almost gets into the back of Glock.

00:32:37Somehow saved it.

00:32:38That was way past the point of no return.

00:32:43So, the order now is Massa, Vettel, and Alonso,

00:32:46the top three.

00:32:47Here comes Kimi Raikkonen,

00:32:48followed by Giancarlo Fisichella

00:32:50on a flag-waving day for the Force India team.

00:32:53Lewis Hamilton, Timo Glock, Sebastian Bordet,

00:32:56Jarno Trulli, and Nick Heidfeld, the top ten.

00:32:59Then Mark Webber in 11th,

00:33:00Heikki Kovalainen resumes in 12th.

00:33:04Followed by Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button

00:33:06in the two Hondas,

00:33:07Nico Rosberg in the Williams,

00:33:09Adrian Sutil's Force India Ferrari,

00:33:12then Robert Kubica and Kaz Nakajima

00:33:15having a very interesting day

00:33:17here in his second visit to Brazil.

00:33:21No sign of further rain, but heavy overcast

00:33:24as we run right now with Massa first and Hamilton sixth.

00:33:28Massa is in position to claim the world championship,

00:33:32but we have a long way to go.

00:33:3458 laps remaining in Brazil.

00:33:39Welcome back live to Brazil

00:33:40as the final race of the Formula One season

00:33:42unfolds here on Speed

00:33:43with David Hobbs and Steve Matchett and Peter Windsor.

00:33:46I'm Bob Varsha.

00:33:47There's been no change in position since we left you.

00:33:50Felipe Massa leads.

00:33:51Title rival Lewis Hamilton is sixth.

00:33:54That puts them tied on points,

00:33:56but in his pocket, Massa knows he holds both tie breaks

00:34:01for first and second place count back over Lewis Hamilton.

00:34:05There you see the numbers.

00:34:06They are tied, but Massa, if he wins,

00:34:08will have one more win than Hamilton.

00:34:10Good lap, Sebastian, good lap.

00:34:11Stay close to Massa.

00:34:12Stay close to Massa.

00:34:13Ten laps longer than you.

00:34:15There he goes.

00:34:16Massa sets another fastest lap.

00:34:181.15.845.

00:34:20Personal best in sector one.

00:34:22Fastest of all in sector two.

00:34:25Now, Lewis Hamilton is losing time on to Massa

00:34:28because of the car you see ahead,

00:34:30which is Fisichella's Force India car

00:34:32on the softer option tyres.

00:34:34But the key point here, guys,

00:34:36although he's losing time to Massa,

00:34:38it's position that counts.

00:34:40He doesn't want to fall behind.

00:34:42It's position that counts.

00:34:44He doesn't want to force anything to get past him.

00:34:46Remember, Lewis Hamilton,

00:34:48for his drive for the World Championship,

00:34:50doesn't need the win.

00:34:52He needs to get into fifth place.

00:34:54So, at some stage, he's got to get past the car ahead of him,

00:34:57but he doesn't want to force himself

00:34:59and get into a stupid accident.

00:35:00Well, of course, he's also caught between a rock and a hard place

00:35:03because behind him, a Glock Bordet, truly,

00:35:06who could all come up and pass Hamilton

00:35:08unless he gets a run.

00:35:10So, he really does need to get around Fisichella

00:35:12as quickly as he possibly can.

00:35:14Meanwhile, Massa, just on a tremendous roll here,

00:35:17doing great times.

00:35:19How much fuel did they put on that last stop?

00:35:21It's difficult to tell because of the wet weather tyre situation

00:35:24that happened as well.

00:35:26We don't know how much was in the car

00:35:28because we didn't see it come in for that first stop window.

00:35:3115.744 from Massa

00:35:34and immediately outclassed by Vettel.

00:35:3715.492.

00:35:39Alonso then takes Passi's lap.

00:35:4115.416.

00:35:42Wow, these guys are flying.

00:35:44Hamilton looks down the inside

00:35:45for championship position for Lewis Hamilton.

00:35:48Oh, boy.

00:35:49You don't want to be playing silly games, do you?

00:35:52Now, he's got to be very careful here

00:35:54as he comes through this Turn 3.

00:35:56Nicole loves it.

00:35:58Now, keep in mind

00:35:59that Fisichella has a Ferrari engine

00:36:01and I know all you conspiracy theorists out there

00:36:03are saying,

00:36:04Aha! Well, now we know what's going on.

00:36:06But the Force India team

00:36:08has an arrangement in place

00:36:09to get drivelines from Mercedes next year.

00:36:15The Timo Glockner got past Sebastien Bordet

00:36:18which, of course, is for the last point.

00:36:21Now, keep Hamilton pulling away.

00:36:27The Glock 7 and Bordet is 8

00:36:29so they get a point each.

00:36:31I'm sure we're going to have another one.

00:36:32Here we see it again.

00:36:33Boy, I tell you what.

00:36:34You've got a great toe there.

00:36:35A great toe.

00:36:36But, of course, he's on a much, much wetter side of the track.

00:36:39Yeah, it would be so easy to slide across.

00:36:41And that explains why Fisichella

00:36:43was able to hold him off so long.

00:36:45I hadn't noticed that Fisichella

00:36:46was on the softer of the two tyres.

00:36:48So, better general grip probably at this stage.

00:36:51Good pass.

00:36:52Boy, I tell you what.

00:36:53That's slippery as old Nick up there, too.

00:36:55And look at Nicholas,

00:36:56Lewis's brother with his head in his hands.

00:36:59Nicole's dancing.

00:37:00Nicholas is having a heart attack.

00:37:03Nicholas is a great supporter of Hamilton.

00:37:05There's no doubt about it.

00:37:06Every time Hamilton gets a bit down,

00:37:08Nicholas always says,

00:37:09Well, you remember those go-karts, mate?

00:37:10You lapped the whole field, you know.

00:37:12Why, why, why?

00:37:13You love the wet and all that.

00:37:14So, Lewis sort of buoys him up.

00:37:16Sky is getting lighter.

00:37:17We're beginning to see shadows.

00:37:20No more rain expected.

00:37:21No more rain expected.

00:37:23Keep pushing.

00:37:24Well, I guess great minds think as one.

00:37:27Doesn't look like more rain,

00:37:28but you never know.

00:37:29This is Brazil.

00:37:33Just what we were saying there about Nick Hamilton.

00:37:35Don't forget Lewis is also a big supporter of Nick's.

00:37:37Nick's races karts very quickly

00:37:39and Lewis often attends those races.

00:37:41Big supporter of Nick.

00:37:42Great brotherly love there.

00:37:45Both of the title contenders

00:37:47come from strong family backgrounds.

00:37:50Lewis Hamilton's family is here.

00:37:51Of course, Felipe Massa's family is here.

00:37:53His father had surgery

00:37:55to remove kidney stones earlier this week,

00:37:57but he is out here to support his son

00:38:00along with his wife, Felipe's mother,

00:38:04sister, wife, brother.

00:38:06Everyone is here.

00:38:08Well, Vettel has just set the fast lap again.

00:38:10Now, Felipe Massa has just taken it again.

00:38:14Yep.

00:38:15Hamilton is where he needs,

00:38:17doing what he needs to do.

00:38:18The question coming is, was,

00:38:20which Lewis Hamilton would we see?

00:38:22The impulsive guy who forces passes

00:38:24and had a horrible weekend

00:38:26in the Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji.

00:38:28A week after, or two weeks after,

00:38:30the Singapore race

00:38:31in which Hamilton took a third place

00:38:33because he knew that was all he could get

00:38:35without risking everything.

00:38:38So, is he going to see the big picture

00:38:40or is he going to get carried away today?

00:38:42Sebastian Bordet chasing Giancarlo Fisichella.

00:38:48Fisichella went wide there

00:38:49because it's very wet out there.

00:38:51Boy, he didn't...

00:38:52Sebastian Bordet didn't need that

00:38:54because Glock has gone around Fisichella,

00:38:56so now Glock's disappearing.

00:38:57Nothing.

00:38:58And that's not what Bordet wants.

00:39:01Curved, very slippery paint, wet.

00:39:04No, won't get him until turn one,

00:39:06without a mistake.

00:39:12Unless Fisichella makes a mistake

00:39:14and Bordet pounces.

00:39:15Oh, boy, oh, boy.

00:39:16It's a tricky outside pass there, though.

00:39:19That's that fall away left-hander.

00:39:21This is where he needs to get him.

00:39:22He needs to make...

00:39:23Nah, he's letting him get away too much there.

00:39:28Bordet's helmet leaning over.

00:39:30That's why he's got Jarno Trulli

00:39:32filling his mirrors.

00:39:35Across the pit end.

00:39:38Trulli's got to run.

00:39:40Will he try the inside?

00:39:42Yes, he will.

00:39:44Oh, Bordet has to take to the grass.

00:39:48Which is obviously very wet.

00:39:50Oh, and he's going to come right on.

00:39:51Look out, Mark Webber.

00:39:54Barrichello wearing the helmet colors

00:39:56of his hero, Ingo Hoffman,

00:39:57who raced in Formula One

00:39:58for the Fittipaldi team

00:40:00here in his native Brazil.

00:40:02Hoffman retiring after eight championships

00:40:05in Brazilian stock cars

00:40:06at the age of 65 this year.

00:40:08So Barrichello is honoring his hero.

00:40:11Here's another look at the Trulli-Bordet.

00:40:14Did they touch?

00:40:15I think they did.

00:40:16It sure looked like it.

00:40:17Yeah, I think just rear wheels

00:40:18just touched it.

00:40:19Super close.

00:40:20It gets pushed out onto that wet grass.

00:40:22So the whole thing really came unglued.

00:40:24Big toe.

00:40:27Wow.

00:40:29Thank you very much.

00:40:32We'll take a break.

00:40:33Massa's still out front.

00:40:34Behind him, Sebastian Vettel

00:40:35just reset.

00:40:36Fast lap.

00:40:37The German is coming

00:40:38as you check our Mercedes-Benz leaderboard.

00:40:40We'll be back after the break.

00:40:53Back live in Brazil.

00:40:55Riding with Lewis Hamilton

00:40:57in fifth place.

00:40:58Up ahead, race leader

00:40:59and title rival Felipe Massa

00:41:01for Ferrari.

00:41:02There you see him right there.

00:41:03Has just set fast lap of the race

00:41:05at 114.541.

00:41:07Sebastian Vettel

00:41:09is doing his best to answer

00:41:11just a tenth of a second off

00:41:12that last time by.

00:41:13There you see the

00:41:14quickest sector times to date.

00:41:16And Timo Glock in the Toyota

00:41:17has just owned sector two.

00:41:19He was the quickest car of all

00:41:20in that twisty middle sector

00:41:22of the three.

00:41:24Well, Timo Glock

00:41:25is only just over a second

00:41:26behind Lewis Hamilton

00:41:27for that vital fifth place.

00:41:28Exactly.

00:41:29Meanwhile,

00:41:30Felipe Massa

00:41:31is just driving brilliantly

00:41:32and so is Sebastian Vettel.

00:41:33Oh, boy.

00:41:34As we're getting used to now.

00:41:35But we believe

00:41:36from what the radio transmission

00:41:37told Vettel

00:41:38that Massa's got

00:41:39a lot more fuel on board.

00:41:40But nevertheless,

00:41:41Sebastian Vettel

00:41:42in this Tour Arraso

00:41:43just driving the wheels off it.

00:41:51Yeah,

00:41:52we heard the engineers

00:41:53talking earlier on

00:41:54saying they believe

00:41:55Massa has ten laps

00:41:56more fuel on board

00:41:58than Vettel.

00:41:59So just keep up with him.

00:42:00And of course,

00:42:01as usual,

00:42:02Fernando Alonso

00:42:03driving an absolutely

00:42:04incredible race

00:42:05there in third spot.

00:42:07Look at that dry line

00:42:08forming.

00:42:09Massa resets

00:42:10fast lap

00:42:11at a 14.4.

00:42:12Vettel right there

00:42:13also 14.4,

00:42:14but four hundredths

00:42:15of a second slower.

00:42:16And Massa

00:42:17just went purple

00:42:18in sector one as well.

00:42:19A moment ago,

00:42:20Peter Windsor

00:42:21caught up with

00:42:22a very heartbroken

00:42:23David Coulthard.

00:42:25But David,

00:42:26that's not the first time

00:42:27that's happened to you,

00:42:28but you didn't need

00:42:29the last race to end like that.

00:42:30No,

00:42:31I started my career

00:42:32in a Williams

00:42:33and I ended my career

00:42:34because of Williams.

00:42:35But yeah,

00:42:36Nico touched me

00:42:37into turn two,

00:42:38spun me around

00:42:39and then Nakajima

00:42:40finished me off.

00:42:41Worst case scenario,

00:42:42you know,

00:42:43when he touched me,

00:42:44I thought,

00:42:45OK,

00:42:46I'm going round,

00:42:47but please,

00:42:48please,

00:42:49please,

00:42:50please,

00:42:51please,

00:42:52please,

00:42:53please,

00:42:54please,

00:42:55please,

00:42:56please,

00:42:57please,

00:42:58please,

00:42:59please,

00:43:00please,

00:43:01please,

00:43:02please,

00:43:03please,

00:43:04please,

00:43:05please,

00:43:06please,

00:43:07please,

00:43:08please,

00:43:09please,

00:43:10please,

00:43:11please,

00:43:12please,

00:43:13please,

00:43:14please,

00:43:15please,

00:43:16please,

00:43:17please,

00:43:18please,

00:43:19please,

00:43:20please,

00:43:21please,

00:43:22please,

00:43:23please,

00:43:24please,

00:43:25please,

00:43:26please,

00:43:27please,

00:43:28please,

00:43:29please,

00:43:30please,

00:43:31please,

00:43:32please,

00:43:33please,

00:43:34please,

00:43:35please,

00:43:36please,

00:43:37please,

00:43:38please,

00:43:39please,

00:43:40please,

00:43:41please,

00:43:42please,

00:43:43please,

00:43:44please,

00:43:45please,

00:43:46please,

00:43:47please,

00:43:48please,

00:43:49please,

00:43:50please,

00:43:51please,

00:43:52please,

00:43:53please,

00:43:54please,

00:43:55please,

00:43:56please,

00:43:57please,

00:43:58please,

00:43:59please,

00:44:00please,

00:44:01please,

00:44:02please,

00:44:03please,

00:44:04please,

00:44:05please,

00:44:06please,

00:44:07please,

00:44:08please,

00:44:09please,

00:44:10please,

00:44:11please,

00:44:12please,

00:44:13please,

00:44:14please,

00:44:15please,

00:44:16please,

00:44:17please,

00:44:18please,

00:44:19please,

00:44:20please,

00:44:21please,

00:44:22please,

00:44:23please,

00:44:24please,

00:44:25please,

00:44:26please,

00:44:27please,

00:44:28please,

00:44:29please,

00:44:30please,

00:44:31please,

00:44:32please,

00:44:33please,

00:44:34please,

00:44:35please,

00:44:36please,

00:44:37please,

00:44:38please,

00:44:39please,

00:44:40please,

00:44:41please,

00:44:42please,

00:44:43please,

00:44:44please,

00:44:45please,

00:44:46please,

00:44:47please,

00:44:48please,

00:44:49please,

00:44:50please,

00:44:51please,

00:44:52please,

00:44:53please,

00:44:54please,

00:44:55please,

00:44:56please,

00:44:57please,

00:44:58please,

00:44:59please,

00:45:00please,

00:45:01please,

00:45:02please,

00:45:03please,

00:45:04please,

00:45:05please,

00:45:06please,

00:45:07please,

00:45:08please,

00:45:09please,

00:45:10please,

00:45:11please,

00:45:12please,

00:45:13please,

00:45:14please,

00:45:15please,

00:45:16please,

00:45:17please,

00:45:18please,

00:45:19please,

00:45:20please.

00:45:21Please

00:45:22come

00:45:23along

00:45:24.

00:45:25I

00:45:26don't

00:45:27have

00:45:28any

00:45:29questions

00:45:30to

00:45:31answer

00:45:32but

00:45:33I

00:45:34do

00:45:35have

00:45:36some

00:45:37questions

00:45:38to

00:45:39answer

00:45:40.

00:45:41Kovalainen going down the inside of Jarno Trulli.

00:45:45Boy, that looked like easy work.

00:45:48Well, we know that Kovalainen is very quick in the straight,

00:45:52and here comes Vettel, as they suspected,

00:45:55a lot sooner than Felipe Massa.

00:45:57Staying with the harder tyres.

00:46:00They look like a scrub, well used,

00:46:02after a hard tyre bleed.

00:46:05Boy, that's a vantage point for a young race fan,

00:46:08isn't it ever, eh?

00:46:10Only about two or three years younger than Vettel himself.

00:46:13If Vettel was empty when he came in there,

00:46:15and we have to assume he was,

00:46:17but I say that because of the confusion

00:46:19at the start of the race,

00:46:21when they were coming in for those dry-weather,

00:46:23wet-weather tyres,

00:46:25I think Vettel still has another stop to play.

00:46:28Kovalainen on Fisichella

00:46:30to pick up another position.

00:46:32Kovalainen, fastest car in a straight line all weekend.

00:46:35He has been faster than his team-mate Lewis Hamilton

00:46:38on a couple of occasions this year,

00:46:40but the team always opted to put Kovalainen

00:46:43heavier on fuel than Hamilton.

00:46:47And if you believe the rumours,

00:46:49Kovalainen has taken note of that fact,

00:46:51and he's not happy about it.

00:46:55So the order is now Massa, Alonso,

00:46:57moves up to third,

00:46:59Raikkonen third,

00:47:01then Hamilton, Glock and Vettel,

00:47:04who rejoins in sixth.

00:47:06Boy, this must be so frustrating

00:47:08for Felipe Massa and Ferrari.

00:47:10Massa doing a tremendous job leading the Grand Prix,

00:47:13just set fast his first sector time,

00:47:15but at the moment, with Hamilton running fourth,

00:47:17no matter what Massa does,

00:47:19he's not going to be able to keep up.

00:47:21He's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:23and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:25and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:27and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:29and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:31and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:33and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:35and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:37and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:39and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:41and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:43and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:45and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:47and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:49and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:51and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:53and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:55and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:57and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:47:59and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:01and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:03and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:05and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:07and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:09and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:11and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:13and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:15and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:17and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:19and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:21and he's not going to be able to keep up

00:48:23You know what, Robert Kubica after such an incredible year

00:48:25You know what, Robert Kubica after such an incredible year

00:48:27could be bumped from third spot by Kimi Räikkönen

00:48:29could be bumped from third spot by Kimi Räikkönen

00:48:31As they stand now, he will be

00:48:33And there's no way he's going to catch

00:48:35He's going to catch Kimi Räikkönen

00:48:37So that's Kimi Räikkönen

00:48:39The anvil falls out of the sky

00:48:41And as it's so prone to do

00:48:43Robert Kubica is down in 17th spot still

00:48:45He's a full minute behind Kimi Räikkönen

00:48:47As we go on board with Sebastian Vettel

00:48:49And listen to his radio

00:48:51Good lap, ready to push now

00:48:53to try to stay in front of Alonso

00:48:55Push now

00:48:59That is to stay in front of Alonso

00:49:01when Alonso himself hits

00:49:03Hamilton has just finally done

00:49:05the fastest lap of the race

00:49:07So he's been playing himself in

00:49:09So maybe that was pretty heavy

00:49:11We don't know on the field

00:49:13because of all that rain and those early stops

00:49:15It's very difficult to tell exactly where everybody's standing

00:49:17It was a significantly faster lap as well

00:49:1914.159

00:49:21Matt's last time through the speed trap was a 14.5

00:49:234 tenths

00:49:29There it is

00:49:33Talking about Robert Kubica

00:49:35and BMW's slight fall from grace

00:49:37in the closing laps

00:49:39I mean, the rate of progression

00:49:41the rate of development between the Ferrari

00:49:43and the McLaren chassis

00:49:45has just been phenomenal this year

00:49:47Ron Dennis

00:49:49the head of McLaren

00:49:51came out with some fascinating stats

00:49:53coming into this Grand Prix

00:49:55He said the rate of development

00:49:57of the MP4-23 chassis has been so much

00:49:59they're now two and a half seconds faster

00:50:01than round one

00:50:03We think we're two laps longer than Masso

00:50:05We think

00:50:07Well, it's reassuring

00:50:09when you hear the engineers saying

00:50:11we think and we're not quite sure

00:50:13Timo Glock locked it in

00:50:15a very fast lap at a 14.0

00:50:17Meanwhile, Felipe Masso went purple in sector 1

00:50:19Glock answered with purple in sector 2

00:50:23As the track just keeps getting faster and faster

00:50:25And just to finish that thought

00:50:27of the rate of development

00:50:29So, if the McLaren is now

00:50:31two and a half seconds faster per lap

00:50:33in the last round than it was in round one

00:50:35So, theoretically, they could go back

00:50:37and race again another lap in Australia

00:50:39and be two and a half seconds faster

00:50:41That is massive, massive development

00:50:43Of course, Ferrari are doing exactly the same

00:50:45and that's why BMW

00:50:47just cannot find the pace any longer

00:50:49Everybody else, I'm talking about the top two teams

00:50:51are just doing such a stellar job

00:50:53to try and secure this championship

00:50:55And, of course, the thing is

00:50:57they're spending all that money and time

00:50:59on developing these cars

00:51:01and next year, of course, they're all going to be radically different

00:51:03Yeah, absolutely

00:51:05Going into this Grand Prix, McLaren said

00:51:07we've made the car like a tenth and a half faster

00:51:09from the previous Grand Prix to this race

00:51:11It's been the most expensive tenth and a half

00:51:13that McLaren have ever purchased

00:51:15in the history of the team

00:51:17to try and get the car faster than the Ferrari

00:51:19By way of numbers

00:51:21that's about seven and a half million dollars

00:51:23according to the team

00:51:25Consider, that's one third

00:51:27of a competitive NASCAR Sprint Cup budget

00:51:29for an entire season

00:51:35Now, if you can't get enough of Formula 1 trivia

00:51:37be sure to check out speedtv.com

00:51:39where you can win a free Grand Prix

00:51:41for Formula 1 StatRap

00:51:43Our ace statistical department

00:51:45will do an analysis of how the race played out

00:51:47along with every obscure fact and figure

00:51:49you could ever dream of

00:51:51You can win a beer off anybody

00:51:53on the Formula 1 StatRap at speedtv.com

00:51:57Well, Hamilton, who we're on board with here now

00:51:59I mean, he is trying very hard

00:52:01He set the fastest lap a few moments ago

00:52:03has now been taken back again

00:52:05but he has really got to keep pushing on

00:52:07We've got Timo Glock

00:52:09who's like a terrier after a rabbit

00:52:11He's right behind, only just a second behind him

00:52:13and he's consistently lapping

00:52:15just as quickly as Hamilton

00:52:17So, of course, Hamilton has to maintain that space

00:52:19He doesn't have to worry about

00:52:21beating Massa

00:52:23but he does have to worry about beating Glock

00:52:27Massa goes to 1.13.7

00:52:29First man into the 13 zone

00:52:31Meanwhile, Jenson Button has pitted

00:52:33for the second time in the Honda

00:52:35The only other man to pit twice thus far

00:52:37Peter

00:52:39And you know what, guys?

00:52:41A brilliant job by Felipe Massa right now

00:52:43Just think of the pressure he's under

00:52:45and the situation he's in

00:52:47They're all looking at Felipe to dictate the race

00:52:49in terms of what Lewis is going to do next

00:52:51and he's responded beautifully

00:52:53Obviously, they got on the radio to him and said

00:52:55Lewis is starting to go quicker

00:52:57Immediately, Felipe has picked up the pace

00:52:59and he's so good on this type of corner

00:53:01This is where he's improved so well

00:53:03He's really driving beautifully

00:53:05David Coulthard addressed the press

00:53:07during the Thursday official press conference

00:53:09in Brazil and he said

00:53:11Lewis may well win the championship

00:53:13and he has to be the favorite going in

00:53:15because of his seven-point advantage

00:53:17but Felipe Massa has been the most improved driver

00:53:19this year

00:53:27On board with another

00:53:29not improved driver but a driver

00:53:31is just absolutely awesome

00:53:33in his skill and ability

00:53:35to get the best out of cars

00:53:37and also to make the car better

00:53:39You talk about the McLaren being

00:53:41two seconds a lap quicker than it was in Australia

00:53:43How many seconds a lap do you think the Renault

00:53:45is quicker than it was in Australia?

00:53:47The rate of development of the Renault

00:53:49quite frankly is almost unbelievable

00:53:51Just in the last few races

00:53:53it's come from almost nowhere

00:53:55to a race-winning chassis

00:53:57It's beyond remarkable

00:53:59It's Felipe Massa

00:54:01Fernando Alonso

00:54:05Another round of pit stops

00:54:07expected shortly. We'll take another break

00:54:09to get it out of the way and be back live

00:54:11to Brazil for the final race

00:54:13of the 2008 season here on Speed

00:54:23Just past the halfway point

00:54:25of the final Formula 1 race of 2008

00:54:27Bob Marsha with David Hovsky

00:54:29matching and Peter Windsor

00:54:3137 laps down, 34 to go

00:54:33in the Brazilian Grand Prix

00:54:35Felipe Massa is the leader

00:54:37There's his teammate Kimi Raikkonen

00:54:39who is third behind

00:54:41Fernando Alonso

00:54:43and race leader Massa

00:54:45Lewis Hamilton is fourth in championship position

00:54:47Sebastian Vettel is fifth

00:54:49but he's being reeled in by

00:54:51Heikki Kovalainen in the second McLaren

00:54:53Then Giancarlo Fisichella

00:54:55having a better day for the Force India

00:54:57Ferrari team in seventh

00:54:59Jarno Trulli is eighth, Nick Heidfeld

00:55:01ninth and Mark Webber is tenth

00:55:03While we're away, Timo Glock pitted

00:55:05from fifth place. He rejoined in 14th

00:55:07And here we go. Pit full mass

00:55:09We just saw the Ferrari mechanics getting ready

00:55:11for their guys. Less than eight seconds

00:55:13of fuel. Be about seven

00:55:15and a half seconds of fuel. It's all that

00:55:17Massa needs to go the rest of the race

00:55:19distance

00:55:21Another set of the

00:55:23harder tyres, the prime tyres going

00:55:25onto the car. Does he have to put the softs

00:55:27on at some stage? No, he doesn't

00:55:29Because of the wet weather tyres

00:55:31It's something I didn't really explain very well earlier on

00:55:33If the cars start on wet or

00:55:35full wet tyres, there is no requirement

00:55:37They're in the clear, good to go

00:55:39I said they only

00:55:41needed to change to one set of dry weather tyres

00:55:43which they will do for the conditions

00:55:45but to the regulations there's no requirement

00:55:47they can run the whole race distance on wet tyres

00:55:49if they desire

00:55:51There's that long

00:55:53long pit exit

00:55:55Now a little while

00:55:57ago we just saw Timo Glocken come into

00:55:59the pits of Toyota. Keep your eye here

00:56:01on the refuelling guys. They just

00:56:03cannot get the hose connected

00:56:05Come on, reset the rig again

00:56:09Fisichella is pitting

00:56:11from 10th in the Force India car

00:56:13Horrible stop there

00:56:15for Glock

00:56:17He was running so well

00:56:19Has brought him out down in 13th

00:56:21behind Nico Rosberg

00:56:23So that was a disaster because Glock was right

00:56:25on the heels of Hamilton in 5th spot

00:56:27Sebastian Bordet hits the pits of the

00:56:29Toro Rosso. There's Massa who rejoined

00:56:314th

00:56:35On board with Alonso, the new race leader

00:56:37As you pointed out David

00:56:39He's got a decision to make now

00:56:41Yeah, he could win this race

00:56:45Well, he may want to help Massa

00:56:47win the championship, but when it comes down to

00:56:49winning the race, I think that

00:56:51that helping hand

00:56:53Perhaps we read too much into

00:56:55all those comments from Alonso. He just didn't

00:56:57want McLaren with whom he has a very

00:56:59tenuous relationship. Says he likes

00:57:01Lewis Hamilton. He just doesn't care for

00:57:03the team, but ultimately I don't think

00:57:05it's about Felipe Massa with Fernando Alonso

00:57:07either. I think it's about being a Ferrari driver

00:57:09someday

00:57:11Which I'm sure goes down well with

00:57:13his Renault team

00:57:15Well, I'll tell you what, if they keep improving

00:57:17like they've improved this year

00:57:19They're going to be in the winning

00:57:21circle next year anyway

00:57:23Well, it's going to be key now guys to see just how

00:57:25much fuel remains on board

00:57:27the Renault chassis, because if

00:57:29he's got just a couple of laps more fuel on board

00:57:31than Massa, and he keeps setting Alonso

00:57:33just set personal best sectors

00:57:35in 1 and 2, you're right

00:57:37Alonso is going to be looking very, very

00:57:39strong indeed. McLaren in the pit lane

00:57:45How are they stopping?

00:57:47Here comes Alonso from the lead

00:57:49Oh well, that solves that then

00:57:51He's got 11 seconds over 2nd place

00:57:53Kimi Raikkonen, 15 seconds over

00:57:55Hamilton, 24 seconds

00:57:57over Massa

00:57:597 seconds of

00:58:01fuel is all we need now to get the

00:58:03Renault chassis the rest of the way

00:58:07Boy, that was a good stop by Renault

00:58:09Martin Whitmarsh

00:58:11on the stopwatch. Hamilton

00:58:16Now, take your time boys

00:58:18You don't want to make any errors here

00:58:20The fuel hose made a good connection

00:58:22Let's hope for a good release for McLaren

00:58:24Well, not bad release

00:58:26But enough fuel on board there

00:58:28so McLaren will be pleased with that

00:58:30Of course, this is where you've got to be very careful

00:58:32This pit exit is still like

00:58:34ice, and you can see how it's still running around

00:58:36across the track there on Turn 2

00:58:38But obviously the pit exit very damp

00:58:40and we know what trouble Lewis Hamilton had

00:58:42by the pit entry, a certain pit entry

00:58:44last year when it was wet

00:58:46So McLaren, and McLaren's

00:58:48enthusiasts will be happy with that release

00:58:50He rejoins in 6th

00:58:52ahead of Jarno Trulli

00:58:58Ribbons by DiCello

00:59:00pits from 11th in the Honda

00:59:02What could be the last pit stop of his career

00:59:04Now we're talking about

00:59:06Hamilton needing to be 5th

00:59:08and at the moment he's not

00:59:10but remember there are guys ahead of him that still

00:59:12need to come in for their stop

00:59:14So as soon as the cars ahead of Hamilton

00:59:16peel off to take their second pit stop

00:59:18and come in for the extra fuel

00:59:20Hamilton will obviously

00:59:22advance through the field

00:59:24and he has to look at his pace relative to Massa

00:59:26Oi, Jarno Trulli

00:59:28now giving him a hard time

00:59:30he's just had all that

00:59:32stuff and glock breathing down his neck

00:59:34now he's got Trulli breathing down his neck

00:59:36Vettel will stop again

00:59:38Vettel will stop again

00:59:42And the relevance of that

00:59:44is that it doesn't mean you have to take the fight

00:59:46to Vettel

00:59:48Don't worry about taking the fight to Vettel

00:59:50Vettel will have to come into the pits

00:59:52and when he does so, you're going to gain a position

01:00:06Boy, I tell you, what an old Alonso

01:00:08He's so smooth and quick

01:00:12Nico Rosberg, pits from 11th

01:00:16Here's your current race leader right now

01:00:18Not Felipe Massa, but it is a Ferrari

01:00:20Kimi Raikkonen

01:00:22At the moment, the reigning world champion

01:00:24but not for much longer

01:00:26Defending winner of this race

01:00:28Massa let him go by last year

01:00:30to optimize his chances of winning the world title

01:00:32which he did by one point

01:00:34over the tie between

01:00:36Hamilton and Alonso

01:00:38as McLaren teammates

01:00:42By the way, if you're a Formula 1 fan

01:00:44wondering where the young Americans are

01:00:46California and Alexander Rossi

01:00:48dominated both ends of the final

01:00:50weekend of the BMW Americas

01:00:52series here in Brazil

01:00:54took pole for both races

01:00:56won both races

01:00:58over his Euro-International teammate

01:01:00Yuccadela

01:01:02Daniel Yuccadela

01:01:04another name to remember for the future

01:01:06Meanwhile, over in England

01:01:08Team USA scholarship winners

01:01:10Josef Neugarten and Conor Daly

01:01:12have been having a great weekend

01:01:14at Silverstone in England

01:01:16driving Formula Fords

01:01:18We'll have to wait and see, perhaps on Speed Report

01:01:20tonight we'll learn more about how they did

01:01:22for the Walter Hayes Trophy over there

01:01:24Boy, that pit stop was so controlled

01:01:26on Kovalainen's car, it almost looked like a demonstration

01:01:28running a test session

01:01:30Not a hint of panic

01:01:32at all. The Kimpster

01:01:34must be due in momentarily

01:01:36There he goes!

01:01:38From the lead, Raikkonen is in

01:01:42His final stop as

01:01:44World Champion, we might project

01:01:48Just a fraction

01:01:50over 6 seconds of fuel

01:01:52allow about 4 seconds now for changing

01:01:54the tyres. It's a conservative

01:01:56time, should be nice and easy

01:01:58Fuel in

01:02:02A little bit slow

01:02:04coming off, but at least it did come off

01:02:06the car on the end and they haven't dragged it down the pit lane

01:02:08They'll be happy with that

01:02:10It's an improvement

01:02:12Boy, as

01:02:14Massa said to Peter at the top of the show

01:02:16That fuel issue

01:02:18at Singapore for him

01:02:20must have been so... because he had

01:02:22that race by the absolute

01:02:24throat. I mean, he was driving

01:02:26wonderfully there. Just a brilliant

01:02:28drive by Philippe Massa to get ruined

01:02:30by that pit stop. How's that Hungary?

01:02:32Well, of course, Hungary

01:02:34I mean, at the time we all said

01:02:36Oh my God, you just can't believe it would happen to anybody

01:02:38You know, just three laps to go

01:02:40I wouldn't be surprised, guys, if we see it back again

01:02:42though. I imagine Ferrari over the winter

01:02:44over the test sessions, they'll be working

01:02:46on a new version of it. There's obviously time

01:02:48to be found there if they can get

01:02:50it to work reliable and I'm sure they

01:02:52ruined the fact that they had to take it

01:02:54off because of those problems

01:02:56Well, Honda has

01:02:58a light system they're working on as well

01:03:00Yarno truly pits it out from seventh

01:03:04So with second stops complete

01:03:06the order is

01:03:08Oh, we need Sebastian Vettel to make

01:03:10a stop

01:03:12Raikkonen, Massa

01:03:14Double check

01:03:16while they recycle. Jenson Button having the temerity

01:03:18to go past his teammate, his Brazilian

01:03:20teammate, right in front of a packed

01:03:22handstand

01:03:24Should be promoting that

01:03:26But as you said a couple of times, Bob, this could be

01:03:28Barrichello's last race. He's the most

01:03:30experienced guy here. 268 starts

01:03:32But, you know, there could

01:03:34be some changes ahead at Honda

01:03:36It looked, the way that

01:03:38Barrichello is actually leading Jenson

01:03:40in the points at the moment, it may well be that

01:03:42it was Jenson Button that was going to get sidelined

01:03:44but we're hearing now that it probably will be

01:03:46Barrichello because of all sorts of political

01:03:48wrangling and sponsorships, etc, etc

01:03:50which play a huge part

01:03:52in this sport. There's an interesting

01:03:54graphic. 20.8 seconds

01:03:56the time differential between Massa

01:03:58and Hamilton. But again, Hamilton

01:04:00has that fifth spot

01:04:02So Massa will, if it

01:04:04finishes in this order, Massa

01:04:06can win the race, will win the race

01:04:08if it stays like this, but he will

01:04:10not be able to take the championship

01:04:12It's just where Hamilton

01:04:14needs to be. He doesn't need

01:04:16to do any more than stay

01:04:18in the order that they are now. What he does need

01:04:20to do is, of course, he needs to preserve

01:04:22his car. We saw Kovalainen drop

01:04:24out of the last two Grand Prix

01:04:26with mechanical failures. This

01:04:28engine on Hamilton's car

01:04:30is, of course, his race from China

01:04:32So it's in its second

01:04:34run

01:04:36There's the championship standings

01:04:38as they run. Hamilton over Massa

01:04:40by one point

01:04:42Now Robert Kubica

01:04:44is back into third as they run

01:04:46with Kimi Räikkönen in fourth

01:04:48Hamilton is fifth

01:04:50Massa, Vettel, Alonso, Räikkönen

01:04:52Hamilton

01:04:54Bob, you were talking earlier about

01:04:56Singapore Lewis and Fuji Lewis

01:04:58Well, Lewis is now only 2.7

01:05:00seconds behind Kimi Räikkönen

01:05:02He was 5 seconds before they went into the pit stops

01:05:04He can see the Ferrari in front of him

01:05:06Which Lewis do you think

01:05:08now is going to define the last few laps of this race?

01:05:10Great question, Peter

01:05:12I believe the very calm

01:05:14controlled Lewis from the engineers

01:05:16on the pit wall in McLaren

01:05:18Well, hopefully

01:05:20we'll find out. 26 laps

01:05:22from destiny for both

01:05:24Felipe Massa and

01:05:26Lewis Hamilton. We'll be back

01:05:28in just a moment

01:05:30Back live

01:05:3224 laps to go in the Brazilian

01:05:34Formula 1 Grand Prix

01:05:36David Hobbs, Steve Matchett and Peter Windsor

01:05:38I'm Bob Barsha. The rain has held off

01:05:40but we had enough of it at the beginning

01:05:42of this race so that the drivers

01:05:44are pretty much free in tyre choice

01:05:46the rest of the way

01:05:48Gerhard Berger with the Toro Rosso team looks

01:05:50on. His man Sebastian Vettel

01:05:52in his last race for this team before he moves

01:05:54to the senior Red Bull squad next year

01:05:56is second behind race leader

01:05:58Felipe Massa

01:06:00For his part, that man Massa is doing everything

01:06:02he can to claim a possible

01:06:04first world championship. But behind him

01:06:06Lewis Hamilton is in

01:06:085th place doing exactly

01:06:10what he needs to do at a minimum

01:06:12to claim his first

01:06:14world title. So I've got to say

01:06:16if I was sitting on the McLaren pit wall

01:06:18now and looking at the race

01:06:20at the time difference between Raikkonen and Hamilton

01:06:22yeah, you could probably take the

01:06:24fight to Raikkonen. But bearing in mind

01:06:26the horrible stewards decision

01:06:28that we've seen fall against McLaren

01:06:30I wouldn't want my driver

01:06:32to get involved with Ferrari at all

01:06:34I wouldn't even want the stewards to have

01:06:36the possibility of coming up with an odd decision

01:06:38Be it right, be it wrong, be it whatever

01:06:40the judgment, stay out of

01:06:42trouble. You don't need to take

01:06:44the fight to Ferrari. You don't

01:06:46need to get into that position where you touch the back

01:06:48of Kimi Raikkonen's car with the

01:06:50possibility of them some obvious stewards

01:06:52decision coming down. Stay out of it

01:06:54I su...

01:06:56I suspect that's what he'll do

01:06:58lapping Fischer-Keller

01:07:00there, which you sort of expected

01:07:02away, but boy to be lapping Robert

01:07:04Kurbitzer. It's just

01:07:06I can't understand what's happened

01:07:08to Kurbitzer and his car in the last two

01:07:10or three events

01:07:12We're talking about the right of development between Ferrari

01:07:14and McLaren, but this is something else guys, isn't it

01:07:16There's obviously a problem on Kurbitzer's

01:07:18car, whether it's Robert himself or the tyres

01:07:20aren't working here. This is certainly

01:07:22a specific problem to the track

01:07:24and the chassis. Well, Nick Heidfeld

01:07:26Kurbitzer's teammate is up in 10th

01:07:28with the other BMW Sauber

01:07:30So he's out of the points as well, which suggests

01:07:32I mean, we know

01:07:34BMW Sauber have said that they were putting

01:07:36their efforts toward their 2009

01:07:38weapon, but

01:07:40boy oh boy

01:07:42As you were saying, Steve

01:07:44that inexorable progress

01:07:46of technology and lap time

01:07:48in Formula 1, I mean, you stand still

01:07:50you are just going to be left

01:07:52Absolutely. You cannot

01:07:54do that. You must develop the car

01:07:56every single race

01:07:58and again

01:08:00this is what makes Formula 1 Formula 1

01:08:02Well, look at this too

01:08:04Sebastian Vettel, I mean, the kid's only

01:08:0622 years old and he is

01:08:08right behind Felipe Massa. Obviously

01:08:10Massa should not be worried about this, hopefully

01:08:12he's not, but I mean, Vettel is

01:08:14cheering him up because we know that

01:08:16Vettel's almost certainly going to have to stop again

01:08:18but nevertheless

01:08:20Felipe Massa will be looking in the mirror

01:08:22thinking, oh god, don't you get involved

01:08:24I want a nice clear run here

01:08:26everything's just going exactly how it should

01:08:28just don't start getting alongside me

01:08:33Guys, we were talking about Lewis Hamilton

01:08:35and the Kimi Raikkonen situation, seeing that red car

01:08:37in front of him. Of course, the other thing that could be

01:08:39happening is that Kimi might be starting to slow down

01:08:41to take the race to Lewis

01:08:43to see if they can get into a wheel-to-wheel

01:08:45and who knows, maybe get into some sort of tangle

01:08:47you know, that's the other thing we've got to watch for here

01:08:49I think. Kimi's last lap, 14.5

01:08:51he's more or less

01:08:53on the pace, but let's wait and see what happens

01:08:59That is an interesting

01:09:01hypothetical

01:09:05Perhaps Kimi's slowing down

01:09:07very gradually

01:09:09hoping that Hamilton will slow down as well

01:09:11But behind Hamilton

01:09:13is his McLaren teammate, Heikki Kovalainen

01:09:15in 6th

01:09:1715 seconds behind Hamilton

01:09:21I'm sure we all know what Kovalainen will do

01:09:23if he gets to the gearbox of his teammate's car

01:09:27There's the McLaren

01:09:29contrast looking on

01:09:35And what you saw there on that bank of monitors

01:09:37not the pit wall itself, but the engineers

01:09:39backside of the paddock

01:09:41you'll have one engineer

01:09:43just looking at gearbox telemetry

01:09:45looking at gearbox pressures, gearbox temperatures

01:09:47shift times of the transmission

01:09:49there'll be another engineer

01:09:51looking at engine telemetry

01:09:53looking at the cooling ducts on the car

01:09:55Pedal in from 2nd

01:09:57He has about 9.5 seconds

01:09:59on Alonso, 18 seconds

01:10:01on Raikkonen and 23 seconds on Hamilton

01:10:07So as Vettel comes into the pits for his pit stop

01:10:09this will of course advance all the runners

01:10:11that were behind him. About 4.5 seconds of fuel

01:10:13this is going to be close between tyres

01:10:15and fuel

01:10:17Boy, that was a quick stop

01:10:19of course, obviously stopping so late

01:10:21He needs to have a shorter stop

01:10:23Where is he going to go? Is he going to come out in 5th?

01:10:27There goes Lewis

01:10:29He's lapped Kubica

01:10:31I guess he'll be ahead of Kovalainen

01:10:33splitting the McLarens

01:10:35Ah, well now McLaren

01:10:37There's Kovalainen, I believe

01:10:43Lewis Hamilton faces a bit of a conundrum here

01:10:45because I think that Vettel

01:10:47could well wind Lewis Hamilton in

01:10:49Well, and if he does, David

01:10:51if you're Lewis Hamilton

01:10:53or McLaren, presumably you're just going to say

01:10:55You know what, son? Away you go

01:10:57Have that position back, because now

01:10:59because of the pit stop, Hamilton advances

01:11:01to P4, which will secure him

01:11:03the championship, and as we said

01:11:05P5 will do it as well

01:11:07The last thing Lewis wants to do now is get involved

01:11:09in a fight with Scuderia Toro Rosso

01:11:11looking for extra points

01:11:13You see the current standings, Lewis Hamilton

01:11:15picks up a point and has a two-point

01:11:17bulge over Felipe Massa

01:11:19How would you like to be Sebastian Vettel?

01:11:21As you mentioned, David, 22 years old

01:11:23on virtually every driver

01:11:25shopping list up and down the pit lane

01:11:27The world

01:11:29is his oyster

01:11:31A great new addition to the Formula

01:11:33One driver lineup

01:11:35There's a look at our Mercedes-Benz leaderboard

01:11:37We'll take another quick break and be back

01:11:3919 laps to go in Brazil

01:11:4317 laps remaining in the final

01:11:45Formula One event of the season here on

01:11:47Speed. Along with Peter Windsor, David

01:11:49Hobbs, and Steve Matchett, I'm Bob Varsha

01:11:51riding the 6th place Heikki Kovalainen

01:11:53in the McLaren Mercedes

01:12:09Right now

01:12:11the top 3 men in the order, Massa, Alonso,

01:12:13and Raikkonen are the same 3 men

01:12:15who finished on the podium a year ago

01:12:17here at the Jose Carlos Pache

01:12:19in a different order

01:12:21Raikkonen with a race win over Massa

01:12:23with Alonso in 3rd

01:12:25Right now, Lewis Hamilton

01:12:27is 4th

01:12:29right where he needs to be to

01:12:31clinch the World Championship

01:12:33But, behind Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel

01:12:35is closing in

01:12:37rapidly

01:12:39Now, 1.7

01:12:41seconds is the gap now between

01:12:43Hamilton and Vettel, and as you were saying, David

01:12:45Vettel is moving up to take that

01:12:475th to McLaren

01:12:49and Lewis Hamilton

01:12:51but I just don't see that 5th

01:12:53happening

01:12:55and you're just going to wave him through

01:12:57Timo Glock currently 7th

01:12:59his teammate Jarno Trulli is 8th, meaning both

01:13:01Toyotas in the points in this final race

01:13:03of the season

01:13:05and as we always say at this time of year

01:13:07as much as this race is about

01:13:09the front runners for the World Championship

01:13:11and the race win, it's also about

01:13:13drivers

01:13:15trying to pad their resumes

01:13:17and hold their seats or gain new ones

01:13:19for 2009

01:13:21Boy, Vettel again

01:13:23got the hammer down 6 tenths quicker than

01:13:25Hamilton on that last lap, he's only a second

01:13:27behind him now, so

01:13:29really he'll be right on him in another lap or so

01:13:33There you see Kovalainen

01:13:35who's behind Vettel

01:13:37and is losing

01:13:39The gap is down to 1 second

01:13:41now, Hamilton to Vettel

01:13:435th

01:13:45Well, Hamilton

01:13:47as you guys have just been saying, he has got

01:13:49the safety margin of having Kovalainen

01:13:51behind him, there's no way that Kovalainen is going to

01:13:53take the 5th to Lewis Hamilton, it simply is not

01:13:55going to happen, of course

01:13:57Hamilton can maybe

01:13:59try and slow the pace enough to pick the

01:14:01perfect spot

01:14:03to give Vettel that position

01:14:05Alright, you want to overtake me, fine

01:14:07come and do it, but I want you to

01:14:09do it where I want you to do it, I don't want you to

01:14:11force it anywhere that's going to put us into

01:14:13jeopardy

01:14:15And he can use Kovalainen there as a safety

01:14:17margin, just to back up the cars behind, so there's

01:14:19no threat to Hamilton's position

01:14:21Yeah, right

01:14:23Glock, for instance

01:14:25About 4 seconds

01:14:27behind Kovalainen, yeah, a long way behind

01:14:29Hamilton, and Kovalainen

01:14:3115 seconds behind

01:14:33Phil Massa at the front is serenely

01:14:35going around in very high speed

01:14:37now 10 and a half seconds in front of Alonso

01:14:41Alonso

01:14:43Weather looks pretty good

01:14:45in that direction, but there's the radar

01:14:47We may

01:14:49yet see

01:14:51raindrops

01:14:53There may be rain coming

01:14:55Fernando, there may be rain, we need to keep the advantage

01:14:57to Räikkönen, keep the gap to Räikkönen

01:15:01I need to start doing weather

01:15:03you know, oh boy

01:15:05Again

01:15:07Alonso and Räikkönen have had so

01:15:09many races together this year

01:15:11none of which, of course

01:15:13should have really happened, especially earlier

01:15:15on in the year when Räikkönen was

01:15:17carried mercilessly by Alonso

01:15:19in a couple of races

01:15:21and it should have been an absolutely knock-down

01:15:23drag-out success for Räikkönen, but he got

01:15:25held up, he just couldn't get by him

01:15:27and here he is again, suddenly

01:15:295 seconds behind Alonso

01:15:33We see the dark clouds

01:15:35Oh, yeah, look at them

01:15:37Look at them

01:15:39I had another look at the weather radar

01:15:41It's a very thin band of showers

01:15:43but it is very intense

01:15:47Maybe another one of those cloudbursts

01:15:49Well, like the beginning

01:15:51of the race, about a half a minute, but I mean

01:15:53a minute or so, but it was just

01:15:55a tremendous amount of rain

01:15:57It's like the crowds in the grandstands

01:15:59have resigned themselves

01:16:01to the outcome

01:16:03and we still have a lot of racing to go

01:16:0514 laps

01:16:07of this 2.7 mile circuit

01:16:09Good rain in 10 minutes

01:16:11Good rain in 10 minutes

01:16:13That would be about

01:16:154 laps to go

01:16:17Oh, my, is that possible?

01:16:19Oh, my, is that possible?

01:16:21Oh, my, is that possible?

01:16:23Oh, my, is that possible?

01:16:25Oh, my, is that possible?

01:16:27What a way to wrap up the season

01:16:29Don't miss a lap of it

01:16:31We'll be back with more live from

01:16:33Sao Paulo, Brazil in just a moment

01:16:35here on Speed

01:16:37The clouds continue to build

01:16:39over the circuit

01:16:41Jose Carlos Pache in Sao Paulo, Brazil

01:16:43We enter the final dozen

01:16:45laps, both of the race and

01:16:47the 2008 Formula 1 season

01:16:49here on Speed

01:16:51With David Hobbs, Steve Matchett, and Peter Windsor

01:16:53There's the running order

01:16:55Massa doing what he needs to do, leading the race

01:16:57to pick up possibly his second

01:16:59home victory

01:17:01While back in 4th place

01:17:03Lewis Hamilton is right where he needs to be

01:17:05to overcome Massa

01:17:07for the 2008 World Championship

01:17:09Now, his Highness, Bernie Eccleston

01:17:11of course, next year wants to change the scoring system

01:17:13so you get a gold, silver, and

01:17:15bronze medal

01:17:17and he who's got the most gold medals

01:17:19at the end of the year wins

01:17:21which, of course, this year would make

01:17:23Massa the winner

01:17:25I think the trouble with that is

01:17:27that someone like a Robert Kubica

01:17:29you know, would just

01:17:31I think the point system is good

01:17:33but I do think there should be a bigger gap

01:17:35in points from 1st to 2nd

01:17:37maybe like 15-10

01:17:398-7-6-10

01:17:41What a word, a point or two for Paul

01:17:43Well, there used to be a bigger gap and if you remember

01:17:45I think that point system was changed when Michael Schumacher

01:17:47had such a massive run of success that

01:17:49they kind of changed the points

01:17:51to slow him down, to close it up

01:17:53really, to close it up

01:17:55It used to be 9-6

01:17:57which of course is a substantial difference

01:17:59percentage wise, but now it's 10-8

01:18:01but I do think they could make it like 12-8

01:18:03they could have a point for fastest lap

01:18:05which would put Kimi Raikkonen

01:18:07right back into running again

01:18:09and they could have a point for Paul

01:18:11You don't want to mess with the points too much

01:18:13though, because points scored is one of the

01:18:15valuable statistics, I think

01:18:17so I just think there might be a slightly bigger gap

01:18:19for the winner

01:18:21There was Felipe Massa's brother

01:18:23I believe

01:18:25and the entire

01:18:27Massa clan

01:18:29His brother's name is Eduardo

01:18:31And there's the extended family sitting behind that fence there

01:18:33Yes, exactly

01:18:35And they're all with him today

01:18:37They're all part of the Massa family

01:18:39Good question on that

01:18:41Getting back to the points, I mean, isn't Bernie Ecclestone

01:18:43the main driving force

01:18:45changing the points at any time

01:18:47and then he comes back and says

01:18:49oh no, this is all wrong, we have to change this again

01:18:51Well, we've tried it for a few years, now we'll try something else

01:18:5310 laps to go

01:18:55still no sign of that rain that was forecast

01:18:57although it has

01:18:59it has become very cloudy

01:19:01and the light has dropped down again

01:19:05Guys, I've just been out the back of the McLaren garage

01:19:07if they're going to have that business of a family member

01:19:09waving a chequered flag to the champion

01:19:11or the leader on points as he crosses the line

01:19:13nobody's told anybody at McLaren

01:19:15because nobody knew anything about that whatsoever

01:19:17which is a bit odd, but anyway

01:19:19maybe they're going to break the news at the last minute

01:19:21I just saw Anthony Hamilton too

01:19:23he had the demeanour of a sick dog right now

01:19:25I must say, he's not a particularly happy man

01:19:27but anyway, poor old Anthony, he'll be alright

01:19:31Well, they're talking about rain in four minutes

01:19:33of course, where?

01:19:35because we saw the rain across the front straight before

01:19:37but not across the back

01:19:39could hit at a different spot

01:19:419 laps to go

01:19:43just over about 12 minutes

01:19:45it may not hit at all

01:19:49boy oh boy, Alonso

01:19:5114th way there

01:19:53lap on board

01:19:57we have one more commercial break to take

01:19:59before we take you all the way to the chequered flag

01:20:01so let's do that right now

01:20:03hopefully come back with 7 laps or so

01:20:05remaining

01:20:07there's our Mercedes-Benz leaderboard

01:20:117 laps remaining

01:20:13in the Brazilian Grand Prix

01:20:15final round of the 2008 season

01:20:17let's go right to Peter Windsor

01:20:19it's dark, Bob

01:20:21the raindrops are starting to fall

01:20:23everybody's putting on their ponchos

01:20:25what more can I say, this is not good

01:20:29depending on your point of view

01:20:31I think we see raindrops there on Sebastian Vettel's lens

01:20:33on his onboard camera

01:20:35and it is very dark

01:20:37there comes a splash

01:20:39it is dark, isn't it

01:20:41here comes Nick Heidfeld

01:20:43isn't going to wait

01:20:47he did this at Spa, remember

01:20:49with just a couple of laps to go

01:20:51he went to the wets

01:20:53and he was an absolute rocket

01:20:55here go the intermediate tires

01:20:57oh boy, they absolutely are throwing the dice

01:20:59oh wow

01:21:01if it comes down now

01:21:03Nick Heidfeld is in great position

01:21:05he's out of the points right now

01:21:07he's got nothing to lose

01:21:09look at this now, look at this race for second

01:21:11Rossberg, Bordet all in

01:21:13but look at this race for second

01:21:15Alonso now being pulled in by Raikkonen

01:21:17right behind him

01:21:19and there are the raindrops in the pit lane

01:21:21but you're right guys, these fellas coming into pit now

01:21:23have absolutely nothing to lose

01:21:25they are out of the points

01:21:27now if the rain continues like this

01:21:29and the other runners have to come in

01:21:31they could be looking very good

01:21:33this is Sebastian Vettel attacking Lewis Hamilton

01:21:35for that 4th place finish

01:21:37that will put Hamilton right on the end of the plank

01:21:41he has to be in the top 5

01:21:43with Massa in P1

01:21:45Kovalainen pits from 7

01:21:47first of the points

01:21:49scorers, points position cars

01:21:51to pit

01:21:53Fischer-Keller in front there

01:21:55again not helping Hamilton's decision

01:21:57what to do here to let Vettel through

01:21:59which he probably should do

01:22:01Mark Webber pits from 9

01:22:05Fischer-Keller moves aside

01:22:07of the Force India car

01:22:09as Hamilton and Vettel come through

01:22:11now Ferrari

01:22:13getting ready with intermediate tires

01:22:15pick them up

01:22:17and they're not even bringing them out in the tire sleeves

01:22:19just get them out there

01:22:21Raikkonen's in, Alonso's in

01:22:25Massa remains out of the race lead

01:22:27Hamilton is still out

01:22:31now I think what we saw there

01:22:33was taking a downforce off the car

01:22:35as Hamilton comes into the pits

01:22:37with Vettel right behind him

01:22:39Massa remains out

01:22:43boy I'm surprised at this move here

01:22:45by McLaren

01:22:47I would have expected McLaren to have made their move

01:22:49on Massa's decision

01:22:53so now they send

01:22:55Lewis out on intermediate tires

01:22:57what will Massa do

01:22:595 laps to go

01:23:07Hamilton ahead of Vettel

01:23:09down the long long pit out

01:23:11here in Interlagos

01:23:13Kubica goes by but he was a lap down

01:23:15boy they

01:23:19Massa's in

01:23:21from the lead

01:23:23too great a risk to take

01:23:25this is a smart call

01:23:27they had to do this

01:23:29it was key they had to watch

01:23:31what everybody else was doing

01:23:33which is why Massa is one of the last runners out there

01:23:35on the dry tires

01:23:37if everybody else switched to Inter's

01:23:39Massa and Ferrari had to do the same

01:23:41so who's still out

01:23:43Glock, Trulli and Kovalainen

01:23:49Kovalainen has pitted

01:23:51so Glock and Trulli

01:23:53are on slicks

01:23:55if it stays reasonably dry

01:23:57they will go in front to Hamilton

01:23:59they will be in the catbird seat

01:24:05but everybody, or almost everybody

01:24:07this side of Toyota seems to think

01:24:09it's going to rain harder

01:24:11massive for Massa

01:24:13because he has managed to retain the lead

01:24:15it was a good

01:24:17call by Ferrari

01:24:19stay out, see what everybody else is doing

01:24:21but they had enough of a lead to get Massa in

01:24:23and out and retain the lead

01:24:25now look at Timo Glock in the Toyota

01:24:27up there in 4th

01:24:29Jarno Trulli in 7th

01:24:31but Hamilton is 5th

01:24:33with Vettel right there on him

01:24:35and they're both on intermediate tires

01:24:37that is for the championship

01:24:39if Vettel can get

01:24:41Hamilton and knock him from the top 5

01:24:43it's Massa's title

01:24:45absolutely, things have changed completely

01:24:47now, so Massa doing exactly

01:24:49what he needs to do for Ferrari

01:24:51and his own hopes of a driver's crown

01:24:53by leading the race

01:24:55but now Hamilton can absolutely not

01:24:57let Vettel get past

01:24:59he's completely changed the scenario

01:25:01with 4 laps to go

01:25:03and there they are, nose to tail

01:25:05Hamilton's championship is now on the line

01:25:07it's all down to this battle

01:25:09with Scuderia Toro Rosso

01:25:11with the Ferrari engine, don't forget

01:25:153 laps to go

01:25:19oh boy, coming into this race

01:25:21Ron Dennis was saying

01:25:23we have gone through every single permutation

01:25:25we can possibly think

01:25:27I bet they didn't factor this in

01:25:29I bet they didn't

01:25:31and of course it all depends on Glock

01:25:33Glock will not stop now

01:25:35with just 3 laps to go

01:25:39oh man, and we were talking earlier

01:25:41about good rain drivers

01:25:43remember Sebastian Vettel right there

01:25:45picked up his first win at Monza

01:25:47and his first pole position in similar conditions

01:25:49but in that case

01:25:51he was ahead of everybody right now

01:25:53he is behind Lewis Hamilton

01:25:55Lewis Hamilton will now be absolutely

01:25:57praying for white rain

01:25:59rain, rain, and get that Toyota in

01:26:01force Glock in and get him onto those wet weather tyres

01:26:03that will advance Glock up the order

01:26:05we've got a lot of traffic

01:26:07in front of Hamilton now too

01:26:09coming into a very tricky part of the circuit

01:26:11poor Nicholas

01:26:13lost his father

01:26:15I'm bored with Hamilton

01:26:17what's the car ahead going to do

01:26:19it's one of the Force India cars

01:26:21it's letting him and Vettel through

01:26:23but Vettel's right on it

01:26:25but sliding, sliding

01:26:27and Robert Kubica

01:26:29is that Kubica there? Yes it is

01:26:31I think in the BMW

01:26:33Vettel's lost out

01:26:35now can BMW keep the pressure on

01:26:37Kubica is a lap down

01:26:39but he's right in the middle of that fight for 5th place

01:26:41but Kubica is helping Hamilton

01:26:43it's got to be, now here's Kubica going by

01:26:45Kubica, and now

01:26:47Hamilton is past him

01:26:49this is for the championship

01:26:51McLaren you've got to get after

01:26:53Toro Rosso, you cannot let that chassis

01:26:55get away, and look at the Ferrari

01:26:57garage

01:26:59wow

01:27:01now McLaren's got to get

01:27:03the rain dance together, it must rain

01:27:05we've got to get that car in

01:27:07McLaren will be thinking, you must

01:27:09rain now to get that Toyota out of the picture

01:27:11why did he lose so much

01:27:13time there

01:27:15while Kubica was getting by

01:27:19rain lights are on and you can see from the air

01:27:21there is water in the air

01:27:23Glock is still fast on those

01:27:25dry weather tyres

01:27:29oh and in the rain, what does

01:27:31Hamilton dare, they go by the lap

01:27:33Honda of Jenson Button

01:27:35Kubica drawing away from this

01:27:37battle, Hamilton you need

01:27:39to chase that man down, you cannot

01:27:41rely on it raining and therefore

01:27:43getting the Toyota away from you

01:27:45watch the box at the top of your screen

01:27:47Felipe Massa crosses the finish

01:27:49line, we go to one lap remaining in Brazil

01:27:51wow and this is going

01:27:53absolutely spectacularly well

01:27:55for Massa and Ferrari

01:27:57we thought this championship was going to get out of the wire

01:27:59but not this close to the wire

01:28:01one lap to go, remember

01:28:03if they are tied, Massa has the

01:28:05advantage on the tie break because he'll have

01:28:07six wins to Hamilton's five

01:28:09unbelievable, Massa takes his

01:28:11terror visor off, Hamilton has still

01:28:13got to get up to the Toro Rosso chassis

01:28:15and he's losing out big time

01:28:17he's losing ground

01:28:19in the closing couple of laps

01:28:21and that Toyota in fourth

01:28:23Timo Glock on the dry weather tyres

01:28:25still pounding round

01:28:29oh wow

01:28:31so Vettel

01:28:33Vettel's wet weather

01:28:35skills coming to the fore here

01:28:37listen to the crowd, they know what's going on

01:28:39and the rain is growing heavier

01:28:41Lewis, if you want this championship you've got

01:28:43to push now, it's now or never

01:28:45don't worry, he is pushing

01:28:47look at it, the rain and it dries up down here

01:28:49traffic in front, they come

01:28:51into turn four

01:28:53they're still ringing the church bells in Maranello

01:28:55for Ferrari victories, they've got their hands

01:28:57on the rope right now, but the grip

01:28:59of the Toro Rosso coming off these corners

01:29:01is absolutely awesome

01:29:03staggering, it's staggering

01:29:05as he comes out of all these corners

01:29:07I don't think McLaren have got an answer

01:29:09for it, they haven't

01:29:11and a day that began with so many twists

01:29:13and turns ends with another one

01:29:15Felipe Massa has done everything

01:29:17he needed to do to win the world championship

01:29:19but it's not over yet

01:29:21where is Hamilton

01:29:23Hamilton and Vettel

01:29:25this is for fifth, it's Hamilton's

01:29:27title if he can pass Vettel

01:29:29it's Massa's if he cannot

01:29:31so Massa has taken the chequers flag

01:29:33and we saw he's won the race, but you're right

01:29:35the championship on the line, that's Timo Glock

01:29:37that's Timo Glock, wow

01:29:39Timo Glock has given up

01:29:41the position, and that puts Hamilton

01:29:43up into fifth place

01:29:45and he will come from behind

01:29:47to claim the world title

01:29:49the racing gods

01:29:51are just playing with us

01:29:53to the line

01:29:55Hamilton in fifth

01:29:57and by the slightest

01:29:59of margins

01:30:01Ferrari thinks

01:30:03they've won it, McLaren thinks

01:30:05they've won it, and now

01:30:07that's Luis Antonio Massa's father

01:30:09just getting the news

01:30:11that Hamilton crossed in fifth

01:30:13and has won the world championship

01:30:15Ferrari just didn't realize

01:30:17what happened to Glock

01:30:19what an incredible finish

01:30:21to a season

01:30:23they were celebrating thinking that they had won

01:30:25the drivers championship

01:30:27but they had not factored in what happened

01:30:29to Glock

01:30:31good, great

01:30:33I have never seen

01:30:35rolling the dice right down to the end

01:30:37there, Luis Hamilton, boy you are

01:30:39one lucky boy

01:30:41I tell you, jeepers

01:30:43but what a display again

01:30:45by Sebastian Vettel, jeepers

01:30:47unbelievable

01:30:49finish to the season

01:30:51oh god

01:30:53and so there it is

01:30:55for Luis Hamilton who makes so much

01:30:57history

01:30:59and although the correspondence since he came

01:31:01on the Formula 1 scene has run

01:31:03both ways, let's listen to the team first

01:31:07guys, I'm speechless

01:31:09I'm speechless

01:31:11that was so freaking close

01:31:13but you guys did a fantastic job

01:31:15all season, and you deserved it

01:31:17so this is for you

01:31:19to my family, thank you for all the support

01:31:21and believing in me

01:31:23you're the best

01:31:25wow

01:31:27now the youngest

01:31:29world champion in history taking that

01:31:31honor from Fernando Alonso

01:31:33I tell you what, he's not only the youngest world champion

01:31:35of the lot, also the best in fact

01:31:37if he can win the championship within a year or two

01:31:39it'll be a miracle

01:31:41and of course, it goes without saying

01:31:43the first driver of color

01:31:45to win the world championship

01:31:47as I was saying

01:31:49the correspondence runs both ways

01:31:51should we mention that Luis is a black driver

01:31:53because we'd like to be a color blind society

01:31:55or should we mention it

01:31:57because it is such a positive milestone

01:31:59for the sport

01:32:01either way

01:32:03Luis is the champion

01:32:05and Felipe Massa

01:32:07a very deserving second place

01:32:09Speed's coverage of the

01:32:11FIA Formula 1 World Championship

01:32:13is brought to you by BMW

01:32:15BMW

01:32:17the ultimate driving machine

01:32:33well

01:32:35if a champion's performance

01:32:37is measured in any way by the quality

01:32:39of the competition he overcomes

01:32:41then this battle

01:32:43between Felipe Massa

01:32:45and Ferrari and Luis Hamilton

01:32:47and McLaren Mercedes

01:32:49has produced a worthy champion

01:32:51and would have no matter who won it

01:32:53but in the most dramatic of ways

01:32:55on the final lap with Mother Nature

01:32:57intervening

01:32:59Luis Hamilton was able

01:33:01to scramble back into the top five

01:33:03and take the championship

01:33:05from that man who thought

01:33:07throughout his entire cool down lap

01:33:09that it was his

01:33:11disbelief in both garages

01:33:13McLaren and Ferrari

01:33:15that it was so

01:33:17close

01:33:19well it's just one of those

01:33:21awful awful things gut wrenching

01:33:23that somebody's got to lose

01:33:25and when it's just by a single point

01:33:27on the last corner

01:33:29I mean the last corner of the last race

01:33:31incredible

01:33:33and look at Massa saluting his countrymen

01:33:35well in their hearts he's the winner

01:33:37had he won the championship

01:33:39he would have joined elite company

01:33:41he and Kimi Raikkonen being teammates

01:33:43looks like Jensen Button's Honda

01:33:45there is

01:33:47well ablaze

01:33:49toasting

01:33:51just behind you see Luis Hamilton

01:33:53just climbing out

01:33:55and getting congratulations

01:33:57now let's attend to the business

01:33:59of putting out the burning race car boys

01:34:01Hamilton having trouble

01:34:03putting the steering wheel back

01:34:05and he doesn't want to not put it back

01:34:07because it's an infringement

01:34:09of the rules

01:34:11put the steering wheel back

01:34:13Luis I think he knows that

01:34:15it is a requirement that

01:34:17that steering wheel is on the car when you walk away

01:34:19well only four times

01:34:21in Formula 1 history have teammates

01:34:23each taken a world championship

01:34:25in back to back years

01:34:27Farina and Fangio

01:34:29at Alfa Romeo in 50 and 51

01:34:31Jack Brabham and Denny Holm at Brabham

01:34:33Repcoe in 66-67

01:34:35Nicky Loudon, Alain Prost at McLaren

01:34:37at 84-85

01:34:39Prost again with Ayrton Senna in 88-89

01:34:43and it would have been

01:34:45Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa

01:34:47if he had won

01:34:49but he did not

01:34:51by one point he loses out

01:34:53to Luis Hamilton

01:34:55but Ferrari do take home the

01:34:57constructors world championship

01:34:59for the 8th time in 10 years

01:35:01and Luca Di Montezemolo said

01:35:03we are still entitled to put world champions

01:35:05on our race cars

01:35:09Wow, what an end

01:35:11of an amazing season

01:35:13of Formula 1

01:35:15Luis Hamilton being mobbed in Parc Ferme

01:35:27boy oh boy

01:35:29there is his brother Nicolas

01:35:31who will no doubt get a hug

01:35:37poor guy trying to do his job

01:35:39with a microphone

01:35:41Luis is not supposed to talk with anyone

01:35:43he needs to get to the podium

01:35:45while he makes his way let's have a look

01:35:47at the results of the Brazilian Grand Prix

01:35:49well there you see it

01:35:51Felipe Massa did everything in his power

01:35:53and everything he should do to win this championship

01:35:55won the race easily

01:35:57fantastic job again

01:35:59beating out Kimi Räikkönen and Vettel

01:36:01what else can you say

01:36:03an amazing result from

01:36:05Glocken, Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli

01:36:07Jarno Trulli of course starting on the front row

01:36:09all these runners 9th through to 14th

01:36:11out of the points

01:36:13Weber, Heidfeld, Kubica, Rosberg, Button and Bordet

01:36:15and the rest of your runners

01:36:17Barrichello, Sutil, Nakajima, Fisichella, Piquet

01:36:19and David Coulthard out on turn 1 lap 1

01:36:21sad way for David Coulthard

01:36:23to depart Formula 1 as a driver

01:36:25but another page turns

01:36:27and another season beckons

01:36:29we'll be back

01:36:31back in Brazil

01:36:33a year ago we thought nothing could top

01:36:35the finish to the 07 World Championship

01:36:37but I think

01:36:39we've seen it again

01:36:41in 08

01:36:43Felipe Massa saluting the crowd

01:36:45who supported him with such passion

01:36:47today as he won the

01:36:49Brazilian Grand Prix but lost

01:36:51the World Championship in the most

01:36:53dramatic way

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01:43:27in and it was a very good decision because i was running p6 and suddenly i found myself p3

01:43:33with better a little bit shorter than me on fuel load so at one point at that point i think the race

01:43:39was quite good for us and you know kept second place till the end would fight with kim in the

01:43:44last couple of laps and fantastic result starting p6 finishing again on the podium is much much more

01:43:50than we expected we heard one radio transmission to you saying your race is now with massa

01:43:56how did you feel at that point was that a real proposition well i was surprised about that

01:44:02coming from the pits obviously they tried to motivate me they tried to push me to the limits

01:44:07and they don't want that i relax at any part of the race but i think massa was a little bit too

01:44:13quick today and i was more concerned about the gap with kimmy tried to keep the second place than

01:44:18the race victory that i knew that was impossible congratulations to you a great way to end the

01:44:24season and kimmy well done to you too we've been saying it all weekend a great support role

01:44:30talk us through the race from your point of view a late late stop for the dry tires that probably

01:44:33hurt you more than perhaps could have um yeah but i mean i knew what i was supposed to do and

01:44:39i mean it wasn't wasn't the best race ever but the car was quite difficult i don't know why the

01:44:45tires felt that day they were they were quite tricky to get especially the front tires working

01:44:50in the first set second set was a bit difficult at the beginning started to be better in the end

01:44:56and i was catching up fernando but then came the rain and i was right behind him but i got

01:45:04some instruction to not risk anything for felipe and i decided to stay in the third place i mean

01:45:11for us we won at least the team champion championship and okay i was unlucky for felipe

01:45:18but that was one of our aim and we got that at least and that was what we wanted and we could do

01:45:26it so was was not the easiest year for the team and for for for both of us but i mean we we got

01:45:32the good results for the team and we that we must be happy and also for stephano first year as a

01:45:38team boss and it hasn't been the easy easy easy all the way through so i'm very happy for him

01:45:46thank you kimmy and felipe returning to you finally we just had kimmy reflecting on the

01:45:50season and how well ferrari have done as a team if i could just get you to say that as

01:45:55well in your own words bearing in mind the emotion of today and the success of winning

01:46:00here at interlagos well i think um as kimmy said we did um we did everything perfect today

01:46:09you know and unfortunately it was not enough you know and um you know i think we did a great

01:46:19championship we have some up and downs and we pay for that we are also paying now a little bit

01:46:26but um that's racing is like that you know sometimes you have a just a perfect year you

01:46:33know with so many victories with very reliable car sometimes you have some up and downs you know

01:46:38and that's racing you know you know from one year to the other many things change you know and

01:46:45and that was our championship but um you know even if we have some up and downs i think

01:46:53everybody did a great job you know everybody work really hard to achieve our goals

01:47:00with the heart you know and sometimes things doesn't happen in the way we we won't but

01:47:08that's racing that's the sport you know sometimes it's a little bit different than

01:47:11than we expect but uh you know i think you know we need to to be happy with our construction

01:47:20championship it's very important and um i'm sure our president everybody inside the team is very

01:47:27very proud very happy like me because we need to be and um the second thing we need to congratulate

01:47:34lewis because he did a great championship uh he scores more points than us so he deserves to be the

01:47:43the champion you know so i know how to lose i know how to win and that's as i said before it's

01:47:49another day of my life which i'm gonna learn a lot hopefully we come back here with the title

01:47:55but anyway i think it's it's part of our of our experience part of our life and i'm sure everybody

01:48:03here me fernando kimmy knows how it's tough to be to be a driver you know sometimes things is very

01:48:11easy and some something happens and you don't expect sometimes think it's very difficult and

01:48:15you win without expecting as well so we know a lot about that and that's another day so

01:48:22but i'm as i said i'm very proud and um i'm leaving the track with my my head completely

01:48:30because i think we did everything we could

01:48:33Felipe Massa a gentleman in victory and defeat now if we could have

01:48:37i will second that peter thank you final standings for the 2008 drivers champion while Lewis Hamilton

01:48:43lost by one point last year he won by one point this year from Felipe Massa who won more races

01:48:48first time in nearly 20 years that the guy who won the most races has not won the championship

01:48:52Kimi Raikkonen jumps into third spot there pushing Kubica down even though they're tied on points

01:48:57Alonzo getting 61 Hydeville and look at that Sebastian Vettel going into the German race

01:49:02halfway through the season he'd only got five points look where he ended up Jarno Trulli and

01:49:08Timo Glock for Toyota rounding out the top 10. Mark Webber there gets some points for uh for uh

01:49:14Red Bull and Nelson Piguet, Rosberg, Rubens Barrichello put all those points in Silverstone

01:49:19Mainland and Bordet. Jenson Button finally getting three points for the year and the

01:49:24Constructors Championship Steve. Well there it is guys Ferrari take their 16th Constructors

01:49:29Championship and as you heard Massa say it is very important for the team but they will take some time

01:49:34to savor that victory over McLaren. We're down in second with 151 points there in second third BMW

01:49:41Sauber an absolutely terrific season for those fellas 135 and then the rest of the runners right

01:49:47down Red Bull, Renault, Toyota and Honda. Poor old force India Ferrari failed to score all season.

01:49:53And with that the 2008 chapter closes 2009 will open shortly with a very new formula the cars

01:50:01will look very different but that's a story for another day. Final thoughts gentlemen very briefly

01:50:05well we have the youngest ever world champion and of course by the look of things we've got

01:50:09another one coming right behind him Sebastian Vettel. For David Hobbs, Steve Matchett, Peter Windsor

01:50:14and our entire Formula One team thanks for watching we'll see you again next year as we

01:50:18depart Sam Posey offers his final thoughts on the season so long everyone. Can you hear the silence

01:50:25the season is over finished the cars are rolled away for the last time we've heard the last

01:50:32ambience and come to the end of the endless summer we've seen them in 18 races 3,500 miles if you ran

01:50:39them one right after another they have competed in the desert in the rain through a tunnel over

01:50:46bridges at night through parks along city streets through fast turns and slow ones through chicanes

01:50:54and sometimes around them we've seen them in control and not winning and not discouraged

01:51:01and exultant we saw them on the grid with Peter we heard how they were doing from Bob

01:51:08had Steve urged them on and then tell us what broke it's broken on the car

01:51:15and David explained it all from the driver's point of view

01:51:20couldn't we just have a couple of more races no okay just one no a wonderful season has run its course

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