Brazilian Grand Prix Formula 1
Interlagos, Brazil, 2 November 2008
Lewis Hamilton is the new Formula 1 World Champion.
Hamilton is only the second driver to win the title in his second season
Lewis Hamilton was overwhelmed by emotion after capturing the 2008 world championship by a single point at a thrilling season finale in Brazil.
"It's pretty impossible to put into words," said the 23-year-old, who is now the youngest ever F1 champion.
"It's been such a long journey and I'm so speechless. After all the sacrifices we've made I am so thrilled to be able to do this for everyone.
"It was one of the toughest races of my life - if not the toughest."
Hamilton clinched the title when he passed Timo Glock accelerating out of the final corner of the race to snatch the drivers' crown from Felipe Massa, who took the chequered flag ahead of him.
With Massa winning at Interlagos, the Englishman knew he had to finish fifth to claim the title but he had slipped to sixth with one lap to go.
In one final twist, however, Hamilton overtook Glock's slowing Toyota to clinch the fifth place he needed - and with it the title.
BRITAIN'S WORLD CHAMPIONS
Mike Hawthorn (1958)
Graham Hill (1962 and '68)
Jim Clark (1963 and '65)
John Surtees (1964)
Jackie Stewart (1969, '71 and '73)
James Hunt (1976)
Nigel Mansell (1992)
Damon Hill (1996)
Lewis Hamilton (2008)
"The team didn't say anything so I thought I was shot," said Hamilton, who became Britain's ninth world champion and the first since Damon Hill in 1996.
"I didn't know where Glock was and Vettel was the guy to beat and I couldn't catch him, so at that point I was going to finish sixth. My heart was in my mouth," said Hamilton
"When it started to drizzle, I didn't want to take any risks but at the final corner I got past Glock and I couldn't believe it.