Glock and Rain Help Hamilton Claim F1 Title
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Tuesday 4th November, 2008 McLaren-Mercedes’ Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, of Britain, celebrates after he secured the 2008 Ferrari’s Formula One driver Felipe Massa, of Brazil, celebrates on the podium after winning the Brazilian Formula One world drivers’ championship title by finishing fifth in the Brazilian Grand Prix at the Formula One Grand Prix at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2008. Interlagos racetrack in Sao Paulo, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2008. (AP) (AP Photo/Oliver Multhaup) by Stan Lehman racing series this season, said he will like- SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Just when it ly face extra pressure because of his name. looked like Lewis Hamilton was about to “Every Brazilian always faces pres- see another F1 championship slip away sure, even more by being the nephew of from him, the McLaren driver was saved Glock and rain help Ayrton,” he said. by the Glock - Toyota driver Timo Glock. Countryman Nelson Piquet Jr., son of Glock was in fifth place toward the end three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, of the race, the position need by Hamilton struggled in his debut season with Renault to win the 2008 title. this year and is in danger of losing his spot Glock’s decision not to change tires Hamilton claim F1 title on the team next year. Piquet Jr. dropped when rain began to fall at the Interlagos out of the race before completing a lap on race track, put him ahead of Hamilton. Massa wins Brazilian Formula One GP Sunday. Hamilton, the first British F1 champi- on since Damon Hill in 1996, was sixth know who the cars in front of you were.” Mclaren’s eight. Results: 1:34.31.247. until the final turn, but Glock’s car was 1. Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari, 71 laps, 1 17. Kazuki Nakajima, Japan, Williams, 69, still on dry tires and had to slow down in CONSTRUCTORS’ CHAMPIONSHIP COULTHARD’S FAREWELL hour, 34 minutes, 11.435 seconds, 194.865 1:34.42.834. the pouring rain, allowing Hamilton to While Lewis Hamilton scraped It wasn’t the kind of finale Red Bull’s kph (121.09 mph) 18. Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Force India, 69, make his move. through to win this year’s F1 title, his David Coulthard had envisioned for his F1 2. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault, 71, 1:35.09.395. Not Classified It was just impossible on the last lap,” McLaren team did not fare as well, finish- career-ending race. 1:34.24.733. 19. Nelson Piquet Jnr., Brazil, Renault, 0. Glock said. “I was fighting as hard as I ing second in the constructors’ champi- Coulthard who retired after 15 years as 3. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Ferrari, 71, 20. David Coulthard, Britain, Red Bull, 0. could but it was so difficult to just keep the onship. a F1 driver at the season-ending Brazilian 1:34.27.670. Fastest Lap car on the track, and I lost positions right McLaren, which has not won the con- GP, had said he wanted to leave the circuit 4. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Toro Rosso, 71, Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari, 1 minute, 13.736 at the end of the lap.” structors’ title since 1998, trailed Ferrari “hopefully at the checkered flag and in the 1:34.49.446. on lap 36. Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix was by 11 points coming into the Brazilian race points.” 5. Lewis Hamilton, Britain, McLaren, 71, won by Ferrari’s Felipe Massa who had to and ended the season with 151 points to the Sadly, he ended far away from the flag 1:34.50.342. Drivers’ Standings either win the race and hope Hamilton fin- Italian team’s 172. with no points whatsoever after being 6. Timo Glock, Germany, Toyota, 71, 1. Lewis Hamilton, Britain, McLaren, 98 points. ished sixth or lower, or come in second and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa won the race in forced out of the race by Williams’ Kazuki 1:34.55.803. 2. Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari, 97. hope the McLaren driver finished eighth front of his home crowd and teammate Nakajima before the end of the first lap. 7. Heikki Kovalainen, Finland, McLaren, 71, 3. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Ferrari, 75 or lower. Kimi Raikkonen was third. Hamilton’s “I’m pretty gutted, it’s not how I want- 1:35.06.509. 4. Robert Kubica, Poland, BMW, 75. Last year,Hamilton lost the title by one teammate Heikki Kovalainen finished sev- ed to end my career.” Coulthard said. “I 8. Jarno Trulli, Italy, Toyota, 71, 1:35.19.898 5. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault, 61. point to Massa’s teammate, Kimi enth. can’t complain though, I’ve had a good 9. Mark Webber, Australia, Red Bull, 71, 6. Nick Heidfeld, Germany, BMW, 60. Raikkonen. He had led the Finn by seven The Sauber team took third place in career.” 1:35.31,101. 7. Heikki Kovalainen, Finland, McLaren, 53. points heading to Brazil, but a mistake the championship with 135 points, while SENNA AGAIN 10. Nick Heidfeld, Germany, BMW, 70, 8. Sebastien Vettel, Germany, Toro Rosso, 35. while attempting to make a pass on the Renault was in fourth with 80. Bruno Senna, nephew of the late three- 1:34.22.761. 9. Jarno Trulli, Italy, Toyota, 31. first lap, and a gear box problem, led to a “Once again, we have won the con- time world champion Ayrton Senna, said 11. Robert Kubica, Poland, BMW, 70, 10. Timo Glock, Germany, Toyota, 25. seventh-place finish and second overall. structors’ title, which is in itself a great Sunday he is close to signing a deal to be 1:34.48.549. Constructors’ Standings Sebastian Vettel of Toro Rosso had achievement,” said Ferrari team manager part of Formula One next season. 12. Nico Rosberg, Germany, Williams, 70, 1. Ferrari, 172 points. passed Hamilton for fifth place Sunday Luca Baldisserri. “It confirms that this Senna said he is negotiating with both 1:34.51.339. 2. McLaren, 151. with only two laps to go before finishing team, considering all the changes it has Toro Rosso and Honda to either race the 13. Jenson Button, Britain, Honda, 70, 3. BMW, 135. fourth. undergone in the last two years, is still the full season next year or to be a test driver. 1:35.01.806. 4. Renault, 80. “I was definitely not aware that I best.” “I will test with both teams,” Senna 14. Sebastien Bourdais, France, Toro Rosso, 5. Toyota, 56. might be influencing the world champi- It was Ferrari’s eighth constructors’ said. “It’s going to depend on these tests 70, 1:35.05.349. 6. Toro Rosso, 39. onship,” Vettel said. “It was hard to know title in the last 10 seasons and its fifth with- before we can talk about something offi- 15. Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Honda, 70, 7. Red Bull, 29. who was a back marker or not and as it got out winning the drivers’ championship. cial.” 1:35.20.589. 8. Williams, 26. darker and darker it was even difficult to Overall, Ferrari has won 15 titles against Senna, runner-up in the lower-tier GP2 16. Adrian Sutil, Germany, Force India, 69, 9. Honda, 14. Hamilton celebrates title in night club Why cover a lovely forearm? SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Lewis Hamilton celebrated the night away in Brazil after becoming Formula One’s youngest champion. Hamilton, his relatives, team- mates and pop singer girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger partied at a night club in South America’s biggest city. Hamilton was photographed by local media arriving at the night club just after midnight local time (0200 GMT). He was accompanied by Scherzinger, a member of the pop group Pussycat Dolls, team leader Ron Dennis and brother Nicholas. A large banner featuring Hamilton’s picture was seen inside the club, according to Brazilian media. Only invited guests were allowed into the party. Hours earlier, the 23-year-old British driver clinched the F1 cham- pionship season title by overtaking Toyota’s Timo Glock on the final turn McLaren Mercedes Formula One team driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain of the last lap of the Brazilian GP to leaves the track smiling with his girlfriend, Pussycat Doll singer Nicole finish fifth. That was enough to keep Star batsman Sanath Jayasuriya fits on a wrist band as Otara Gunawardene, the CEO of ODEL looks on when the Scherzinger, after he secured the 2008 Formula One drivers champi- him one point ahead of Brazilian leading fashion store in the country opened up a sportswear outlet at its Colombo shopping complex on Sunday. onship (AP) race-winner Felipe Massa of Ferrari. Ace paceman Chaminda Vaas is beside Jayasuriya. (Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha.) Tuesday 4th November, 2008.