EXCLUSIVE VIDEO - BRAZIL HIGHLIGHTS

It's finally here, the race that changed the course of this 2008 season.
A heartbreaker for some, Joy for others. Whatever side you were supporting, it was without a doubt one of the best race of the season, keeping us on the edge of our seats until ( Litterraly) the last minute.
well done to Felipe. and congratulations to Lewis.
Thank you to all our readers for an amazing 2008 season, keep watching this blog as we will bring you even more entertaining F1 bits and pieces during the winter break to keep you up to date about about the "Greatest Show on Earth"

Enjoy the video highlights of the Brazillian GP Here.

Chinese Grand Prix, a Look back at the Race

Lewis Hamilton again moved to a brink of becoming Formula 1's youngest ever world champion with a textbook victory in China, while Felipe Massa heads for home in a fortnight's time with it all to do.
We look back at how the race unfolded and ahead to the Interlagos decider; explaining how Hamilton and McLaren should be in better shape to wrap it up this time and why Massa can't afford to give up on his hopes yet. Lewis Hamilton dominated not just the race, but the entire Chinese Grand Prix weekend.
The only track session he did not finish in first place was Saturday morning practice, when Nick Heidfeld did a low-fuel flier in preparation for qualifying while Lewis carried the fuel he would be using in Q3.

In control
This was a disciplined drive by Hamilton, as perfect as Fuji was flawed.
The only moment of doubt was just before the lights went out, simply because of what had happened in Fuji.
But he got the car going better than Kimi Raikkonen�s Ferrari next to him and took the lead into turn one, never to be seen again.
Felipe Massa�s expression said it all afterwards.
He had not had the pace to challenge Hamilton all weekend and now he heads to Brazil with a seven-point deficit � which means he has to win the race there, but it�s out of his hands.
Hamilton will be world champion if he finishes fifth or higher, regardless of Massa�s result.

A clear focus
By a curious twist of fate, that was also the points situation relative to Raikkonen going into last year�s race and yet Hamilton managed to lose.
This year there is a very significant difference though. He does not have to worry about Fernando Alonso in the sister car.
It was the Spaniard last year who dominated Hamilton�s thoughts at the finale after a season of bitterness and recrimination.
Alonso felt that he could have won the title if McLaren had just restrained Hamilton a bit, and he�s right.
Going into that last race, Hamilton was four points ahead of Alonso and seven up on Raikkonen, who went on to win in Brazil.
Hamilton wasn�t really thinking about him and yet he emerged the champion.
This year Hamilton�s mind is clear; he knows that he will have a harmonious and serene atmosphere in his team all weekend and that he can focus all his attention simply on having a strong race, as he did here.

The Interlagos challenges
For me the only real points of concern will be his engine reliability and the start of the race, which is highly risky in Brazil, because of the way the first two corners flow with 20 cars arriving at speed with cold brakes and tyres.
I�ve seen some huge shunts there over the years and plenty of contact, spins and bits of bodywork knocked off.
Last year it started to get away from Hamilton at the start in Brazil and then his race was finished off by the gearbox gremlin which cost him 40 seconds.
Ferrari had a significant performance advantage over McLaren in Brazil last year, which it doesn�t look like they will have this year.
And just to make sure McLaren have been developing a special �Interlagos pack� for the car, to give Hamilton the best shot at doing well there.
As this season winds to a close, Renault have made great progress to be the third fastest team in the field but are still not fast enough to get involved in the fight at the front � so in a normal weekend, Hamilton can expect to finish at least third and be champion.
The other thing to keep an eye on is the engine.
Heikki Kovalainen lost an engine which was on its second race in Fuji and prior to Singapore he had had to change his engine because there was a reliability issue there.
Hamilton will use his Shanghai engine again in Sao Paolo and even though he was able to turn the revs down in the final 10 laps or so today, it will still be a mild concern because of what happened with Kovalainen�s unit.
And as Michael Schumacher found in 2006, an engine failure at the end of the championship can happen, even to the most reliable of teams.

Massa's moment
Massa�s task in Brazil is clear: do what he has done the last two seasons and dominate the race.
He looks like he has his head down a bit now, after being outpaced not only by Hamilton but also by Raikkonen here.
He�s amazing at Interlagos and will no doubt be inspired by his home crowd, but there will be a bitterness about the experience too.
He knows that there is a very real possibility that this will be his only chance to win the world championship.
You never know when a chance is going to come and you have to take it when it does.
He was presented with this chance because his team-mate had major problems getting on with the 2008 Ferrari, but the team has set out an intensive test programme for 2009 which will see Kimi doing 9,000 kilometres of testing to make absolutely sure that he has a car he can challenge with in 2009.
And as a motivated Kimi is stronger than Massa, this could be it for the little Brazilian.
He looks back on the engine failures in Australia and Hungary and on the pit lane cock-up in Singapore and sees over 20 points gone begging which would otherwise have made him world champion today.
So the whole of Brazil will be at his shoulder but he�ll know that it is very hard for him to deliver, and that will have its own unique pressure.
He needs Hamilton to hit problems to give him the title. His mentor Michael Schumacher�s motto was always �don�t give up� and Massa will no doubt follow it, but with some heavy doubts.
You can always look back on a season and think of what might have been.
Massa had those technical failures I mentioned, but Hamilton will point to Spa, where he was docked four points for cutting the chicane and Massa picked up an extra two points for being awarded the win. Without that penalty Hamilton would be champion tonight.

Final thought
Another behind-the-scenes story, which contributes to the outcomes we are seeing, is the Bridgestone tyre selection this season.
Because the McLaren and Ferrari cars use their tyres quite differently, one team is always going to get a slight advantage from the compounds Bridgestone bring.
Basically the softer the compounds are the better it is for Ferrari, the harder they are it helps McLaren.
As a rule the Ferrari works the tyre less over a 20-lap stint and thus is faster in race conditions, whereas the McLaren uses up its tyres more quickly.
Ferrari�s boss Stefano Domenicali compared this race to Hockenheim where Hamilton�s McLaren was surprisingly dominant, and it is interesting that the choice of tyres there was the same as here, medium and hard. Ferrari would have liked them to be a step softer.
The same could well be true in Brazil where last year they took super-soft and soft and Ferrari dominated. This year Bridgestone has nominated soft and medium, which will play more to McLaren�s strengths.

For more James Allen content, blogs and interviews go to www.jamesallenonf1.com

Hamilton to wait for Belgian GP appeal decision

Lewis Hamilton will have to wait until Tuesday to find out if his win at the Belgian Grand Prix is to be reinstated, according to the FIA on Monday.
The current Formula One championship leader appeared before the Paris tribunal on Monday in a bid to overturn a 25-second penalty which denied him victory at the Spa-Francorchamps course on September 7.
The British McLaren driver was adjudged to have cut a chicane during a duel with Finnish rival Kimi Raikkonen in the closing laps, thereby gaining unfair advantage.
However, Hamilton on Monday reiterated his version of events as recorded in a statement given days after the race, saying he had taken the chicane to avoid a collision with Raikkonen.
"I thought I had given back the advantage that I had taken by cutting the chicane. I thought I had done what I needed to," Hamilton insisted.
Shortly after the hearing, the Briton said: "It was long, intense and I was impressed by the complexity of the debates.
"I hope the judges will see the truth and uphold it."
McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh and team engineer Phil Prew also appeared before the Paris hearing on Monday.
The time penalty dropped Hamilton into third place, handing rival Felipe Massa of Ferrari the win, and slashing the Brit's lead in the championship which now stands at just one point.
Tuesday's appeal outcome will have ramifications for the championship with just four races left to go.
The Briton now sits on 76 points, just one point ahead of Massa, with Poland's Robert Kubica, of BMW Sauber, on third with 58.
McLaren's lawyer Mark Philips on Monday said: "Fans want to see good races on the track and it is very bad for Formula One that decisions of this type are made behind closed doors."

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO - BELGIUM GP HIGHLIGHTS

What an eventful race that was, taking us to the edge of our seats right until the end and then as cold shower or birthday gift, depending which side you are on, the decision by the stewards to demote Lewis Hamilton, therefore handing Massa & Ferrari the victory in the Belgium Grand Prix.

Missed anything ? Follow the link for an exclusive highlight of SPA Raceday, as well as all the previous races.

Click Here Now !

French Grand Prix - Magny Cours

It all goes wrong for Hamilton in France

McLaren�s Lewis Hamilton always knew he was going to have a tough weekend at Magny-Cours, after picking up a ten-place grid penalty for his pit-lane misdemeanour in Canada, but he probably didn�t think it would be quite this tough.Even starting 13th, Hamilton was at least hoping for points, but after 70 laps of the French Grand Prix circuit the Englishman trailed home a lowly tenth, thanks in large part to a drive-through penalty for straight-lining Turn Seven on lap one as he completed a pass on Toro Rosso�s Sebastian Vettel.Hamilton - and McLaren - believed he had already completed the pass before being forced wide over the chicane, but the stewards disagreed and decided he had gained an advantage. When he took the penalty on lap 13, he dropped from P9 to P13, effectively ending his chances of a top-eight finish.The only consolation for McLaren was a storming drive from Heikki Kovalainen, who himself had taken a five-place grid drop for impeding another driver during qualifying. The Finn came from tenth on the grid to finish fourth, with only some excellent defensive driving from Toyota�s Jarno Trulli keeping him off the podium.The result means Hamilton drops to fourth place in the drivers� championship on 38 points, 10 behind new leader Felipe Massa, while Kovalainen lies sixth on 20.

Stunning Trulli putsToyota back on the podium

Toyota proved their return to form in Montreal a fortnight ago was no stroke of luck in Magny-Cours on Sunday, as Jarno Trulli secured the team�s first podium for three years. Trulli crossed the finish line third behind the dominant Ferraris of race winner Felipe Massa and second-placed Kimi Raikkonen.Toyota arrived in France motivated by their fourth and sixth in Canada and on Saturday the TF108�s strong pace continued, with Trulli and team mate Timo Glock both making it through to Q3. As Sunday�s race got underway things only got better. After a strong start, during which Trulli was able to pass the Renault of Fernando Alonso, the Italian settled into third, a position he had to work very hard to defend from McLaren�s Heikki Kovalainen late in the race."What a great result and a great weekend by the whole team,� said Trulli. �Today was a great race, hard and tough. We had a good pace, even if we had to battle with some cars that were quicker than us. When the rain came at the end I had to take care because it's always difficult to judge how bad it is when you're in front.�But I got back into a rhythm and had a wheel-to-wheel fight with Heikki, just like in go-karts. The team made no mistakes this weekend, from the people in the factory who made the new parts on the car to the mechanics who did perfect pit stops today. There's still more to do but today we can be very satisfied. The team is doing a great job, the car is much more competitive and everyone is motivated. Things are moving on."Trulli�s podium is the Japanese team�s first since Ralf Schumacher finished third in the 2005 Hungarian Grand Prix and the Italian�s first since that year�s Spanish race. The strong result was a fitting tribute to the team�s former principal Ove Andersson, who was killed recently during an historic car rally in South Africa."This is a fantastic day for everyone involved with Toyota Motorsport,� said Toyota team president John Howett. �It was our first podium for a long time so we dedicate it to Ove Andersson, who did so much for the team and will be greatly missed. "Congratulations to everyone involved both at the factory and in the race and test teams who have worked hard to improve the car. Of course we must now keep pushing really hard because our pace is still not matching the front-runners but we can be hugely satisfied with this result."Although Glock eventually finished outside the points in 11th, Trulli�s haul of six extends Toyota's points' tally to 23 and bolsters their fifth-place in the championship standings. The team are now just one point adrift of fourth-placed Red Bull.

Monaco Grand Prix - The ONE to Win

As the 55th Monaco Grand Prix gets under way, Rosberg is primed to snatch the crown jewel

Set on the narrow, twisting streets of Monte Carlo, on the coast of the French Riviera, the Monaco Grand Prix is the most recognised motor race in the world.
No wonder, then, that it's often referred to as "the jewel of the Formula 1 crown". And with outsiders standing a good chance, don't be surprised if we see a new prince of Monaco crowned here on Sunday, at the race's 55th edition.
The Monaco Grand Prix is the oldest street circuit in Formula 1 and one of the traditional races on the calendar. Save a four-year break from 1951 to 1954, it has played host each year since the start of the world championship in 1950.
There have been street circuits in the United States, France, Switzerland, Spain and Adelaide, but none have endured as Monaco's has.
Up until this season, which sees the addition of the Valencia and Singapore races to the calendar, Monaco was Formula 1's only street circuit for 12 years.
The 3.3km Monte Carlo track is one of the most challenging stops on the calendar.
Since the first Grand Prix in 1950, the street circuit has not changed much to accommodate the bigger and faster modern Formula 1 car.
With overtaking virtually impossible there, getting pole position is of paramount importance. He who starts the 78-lap race in front almost always takes the chequered flag.
All drivers look forward to the race in the glamourous principality as the formbook usually goes out the window there.
In 1996, Olivier Panis took the chequered flag in a lowly Ligier, in a race interrupted by intermittent rain.
The big boys didn't finish, only four cars crossed the finishing line.
Rain is always a factor at Monte Carlo at this time of the year and predictions are for a rainy weekend.
So while championship leaders Ferrari, BMW-Sauber and McLaren-Mercedes are tagged as favourites on current form to take top billing this Sunday, I'm not going to count out the rest of the field. Qualifying on Saturday for a front row place on race day is everything and my bet is that Williams' Nico Rosberg is good for a big surprise.
It will be the British team's 600th Grand Prix and Rosberg will be pumped up to add more meaning to that milestone with a win for one of the oldest sides in Formula 1.
At Thursday's practice the 22-year-old was the only outsider to feature in the top five, ending the session behind McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, but ahead of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, and Heikki Kovalainen in the other McLaren.
Rosberg, whose father is 1983 world champion Keke of Finland, made his Formula 1 debut in 2006 after winning the GP2 series the year before.
He quickly showed his pedigree with Williams at the opening round in Bahrain by becoming the youngest driver in history to record the fastest lap in a race. That achievement was all the more remarkable as his Williams ride was lagging far behind championship contenders Ferrari, McLaren and 2005 champions Renault.
Last year, Rosberg was the centre of attention when he became the top contender to replace two-time world champion Fernando Alonso at McLaren after the Spaniard left the team in the wake of an acrimonious relationship.
Only the influence of the legendary team principal Frank Williams persuaded Rosberg to continue honing his talents with the Williams team.
Rosberg, who was born in Germany, started the 2008 season well enough with a third-place finish at the Australian Grand Prix behind winner Hamilton and BMW's Nick Heidfeld, and then came in eighth at the Bahrain and Turkish races.
To be sure, the Williams car is still nowhere near fighting for the world championship like its predecessors did in the 1980s and '90s.
But if Rosberg's performance on Thursday is anything to go by, and if his good form continues in qualifying this Saturday, then anything is possible.
Clinching pole will be the first step and then it will be left to his engineers to map out a competitive tyre and pitstop strategy to keep him in front.
A win at Monaco would also put Rosberg in an elite class of drivers who've conquered the mean streets of Monte Carlo, a group that includes the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio, Ayrton Senna, Jackie Stewart, Stirling Moss and Michael Schumacher.
That should be an even bigger incentive for Rosberg.

Felipe Massa makes it Three in a Row in Turkish Grand Prix

A delighted Felipe Massa swept to a hat-trick of Turkish Grand Prix victories from pole position here on Sunday in the Turkish Grand Prix when he delivered another domineering display for Ferrari at Istanbul Park.
The Brazilian triumphed by 3.7 seconds ahead of McLaren's British driver Lewis Hamilton with Finland's reigning champion Kimi Raikkonen less than half-a-second behind in third in the other Ferrari.
"This feels fantastic," said Massa.
"But actually, it was a very difficult race. Lewis pushed me very hard for a lot of the race and I was worried for a while, but I knew he was lighter than me.
"When the team told me he was running on three stops I felt better so I realised that was a help for me and I had a chance. I could not hold him when he passed me, but I knew I could win the race so I just had to wait.
"To win here for a third time is really fantastic for me. Now I think I can already get a passport here!"
Hamilton pulled off the overtaking move of the race on Massa and denied Ferrari a likely one-two despite adopting a three-stop fuel strategy compared to his rival's two stopper.
But there was no stopping Massa who controlled the 58-lap race on the 5.338-kms track which he clearly loves.
Hamilton said: "I am absolutely thrilled to come second here after starting third and after my form yesterday.
"I knew it would be tough to get points but we did it well and I am happy. The balance of the car was great on the hard tyres, but the soft tyre was not so good at the end.
"We chose a three stop strategy for safety reasons after what happened here last year when we suffered a failure. Three stops was the safest way to go, but it left us in a less strong position to win the race."
Raikkonen's lead in the championship was cut to seven points with Massa now second, on countback, from last year's runner-up Hamilton. Raikkonen has 35, Massa and Hamilton have 28.
Ferrari extended their lead in the constructors' championship to 19 points over BMW with McLaren two points further back after Finland's Heikki Kovalainen paid for an early pit-stop to finish 12th having started second.
The Finn suffered an opening lap puncture after a suspected collision with Raikkonen on the opening lap.
Poland's Robert Kubica was fourth for BMW just ahead of team-mate Greman Nick Heidfeld with Spain's Fernando Alonso sixth for Renault. Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber was seventh and German-born Nico Rosberg eighth for Williams.
There was no points finish for Brazil's Rubens Barrichello in his record-breaking 257 appearance as he finished 14th for Honda.
Massa blasted into lead from the start with all the drama happening behind him as Hamilton powered past his team-mate Kovalainen into second spot.
Kubica also overtook Kovalainen in the race for the first corner where the Finn squeezed compatriot Raikkonen who dropped from fourth to sixth behind former two-time champion Alonso.
Further down the field, Force India's Italian veteran Giancarlo Fisichella drove right over the Williams of Kazuki Nakajima, missing the Japanese driver by inches but sending them both spinning into retirement in the gravel after a collision at the start.
The safety car was immediately deployed, staying out for one circuit as the debris was cleared. Kovalainen was forced to pit at the end of the second lap while on the third lap Raikkonen easily outpaced Alonso to move back to fourth.
Raikkonen took third spot in the first round of pit-stops leapfrogging Kubica as Massa and Hamilton battled it out at the front.
Hamilton, on a lighter fuel load, thrillingly snatched the lead on lap 24 when he darted down Massa's left before forcing his rival to move over as they came up to turn 12 at around 180mph.
The British driver's lead lasted just eight laps before he made another quick pit-stop allowing Massa to regain control of the race. Hamilton regained the lead after Massa, then Raikkonen, made their final stops.
Hamilton made a stop at the end with 13 laps left and although it was not quick enough to deny Massa, he came out just fractions ahead of Raikkonen to snatch second spot from his chief rival.