The 2008 F1 Drivers World Championship was one of the most exciting in years. Over the course of its 18 races, several drivers and teams had noteworthy performances, with the championship ultimately being decided in the final corner of the final lap of the final race. Those who watched that the race in Brazil will undoubtedly remember the heartbreak of Felipe Massa's family and the jubilation of Lewis Hamilton's girlfriend. While some were quick to blame Timo Glock for his amazing reduction in pace into that final turn, others rightly know that a championship is about the whole season and not just one race. And what a season it was.
For some it was the realization of the promise that Lewis Hamilton showed in his rookie season before his inexplicable late-season collapse last year. For others it was pure devastation at seeing Felipe Massa rise to his own prominence at Ferrari only to see mid-season mistakes rob him of crucial points and ultimately the championship. We just came across a video clip called "Down to the Final Corner." It was compiled by Pistola and it lets you relive the season in about eight minutes. It's a collection of the highs and lows with some of the razzle and dazzle of F1 thrown in for flavor. We've posted it after the jump to remember the season that was. With all of the changes coming to Formula 1 for 2009, we might not see anything like it for a long time to come.
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Upsets, upsets and more upsets. The Formula One racing world thought it had put the politics between Ferrari and McLaren to rest, but the controversy between the two front-running teams reared its ugly head once more at this past weekend's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. Follow the jump to read how the weekend's events unfolded, and how the race results were turned on its head once again.The Tifosi were elated to see their reigning champion Kimi Raikkonen recovering from his dry spell until the rain set in. After once again managing to qualify no better than fourth place, Raikkonen moved up to second place on the first lap and proceeded to jump into first place, taking a commanding lead for the lion's share of the race.
The closer we get to the end of this season and to the start of the next, the clearer the picture will become as to which drivers will be where for the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship. While his team was undergoing testing alongside its competitors at the Monza track in Italy, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo placed one of the bigger pieces in the puzzle in confirming that Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa would both be back in scarlet for next season. Although towards the beginning of the season it was onto Massa's future which doubt was cast, by now the tides have changed in that Kimi's performance has lagged behind his team-mate and it's Raikkonen's future that was being debated in the press. However Montezemolo confirmed that neither driver would be replaced for the coming season. While in the paddock, Montezemolo also visited former champion Fernando Alonso and current leader Lewis Hamilton, but insisted that Alonso, who has been rumored to be angling for a seat with Ferrari, would have to wait at least a little while longer. Montezemolo also took the opportunity to express his displeasure with the new tracks being mixed into the calendar, stating that because overtaking is so difficult on these new circuits, the winner is often pre-determined in qualifying.
There are many grands prix in Europe, but there is only one European Grand Pix. Although the title was originally awarded as a badge of prestige to one race on the continent each year, over the last quarter century the name has allowed a second round in the Formula One World Championship to be held in a country that already hosts a race under its own name. With the 2008 Spanish Grand Prix already behind us, this year's European Grand Prix was held at the new street course in Valencia, Spain. Not to be confused with the Circuit de Valencia that is often used as an F1 test track, the new Circuito Urbano Valencia was designed by prolific track architect Hermann Tilke and is lauded for combining a highly challenging set of 25 turns with a Monaco-like atmosphere – complete with views of the Mediterranean and a marina – and a unique bridge straight. The new location made for a an exciting setting for this past weekend's race, jam packed with race action to throw this year's championship further into flux. Follow the jump to see how it unfolded.
A stormy 2008 British Grand Prix had left a three-way tie for the drivers' championship in Formula 1, with Hamilton. Raikkonen and Massa all in a deadlock at 48 points. That made the German Grand Prix this past weekend, the tenth race on the F1 calendar, that much more important. Raikkonen said it was a "must win" race for him, and Massa and Hamilton no doubt felt the same way. In qualifying Hamilton kept up the momentum from the previous race by capturing pole position, followed closely by Massa, Kovalainen, and Trulli.
![[SPOILER ALERT] Turkish Grand Prix was dog gone good](http://blog.niot.net/blog-images/12_may/spoiler-alert-turkish-grand-prix-was-dog-gone-good.jpg)
The real story coming out of this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix should be the fact that Ferrari won again and Lewis Hamilton is driving better than any other driver in F1, but a stray dog that was struck and killed on track during a GP2 Series by Bruno Senna - nephew of Ayrton, yes that Ayrton - has dominated much of the F1 headlines. There's video of it after the jump for those with hardy stomachs.
But back to the racing. After having dominated the prior week's Spanish Grand Prix by finishing one-two, Ferrari once again crowded the podium stand with two top-three finishers, though not in order this time. Felipe Massa, whose performance the last three races has marked an impressive turnaround, captured the checkered flag - his second of the season and third in a row in Turkey - by driving a very clean race. He was, however, passed by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton mid-race, who had an impressive race all around. Some say Hamilton drove the race of his career at this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix, but his team's strategy of a three-pit race ultimately did him in, as Massa's two-pit strategy gave him enough lead time to hold off Hamilton. Third place was earned by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, who will take the points to pad his slim points lead over teammate Massa and Hamilton.
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If you drove Formula One cars for a living, what would you drive in your spare time? Well, just about anything you want, given the multi-million-dollar contracts F1 drivers garner these days. F1 teams, however, routinely present their star drivers with their parent company's best rides. For example, while at McLaren, Fernando Alonso had to make room for his SLR by selling off his Renaultsport Megane. But Felipe Massa may have to get a (slightly) larger garage to fit the new custom Fiat 500 that Ferrari presented him in Monaco next to the Ferrari 599 he received previously. But after routinely squeezing into the tiny cockpit of a grand prix racing car, the comparatively vast space inside the tiny Fiat may actually be a step up.
Naturally Ferrari wouldn't give its star driver just any ordinary 500. Massa's has been outfitted with a 120-hp 1.4-liter quattrovalvole four from Fiat Powertrain Technologies, a special brown leather interior to contrast with the pearl white paint and Skydome electric sunroof, and bright red brake calipers peering from behind the 16" alloys. We can't see him complaining, especially since his mentor Michael Schumacher himself has an original 500 in his garage.
