What an amazing race! This is probably one of the best race we will see in a long time. People complain about F1 and here we are, two years in a row it comes down to the last race. My hands were shaking with excitement at the end of the race. My guy didn't win but I am just happy to have seen such an amazing spectacle. A whole championship decided on the last corner... Awesome.

I think today we confirmed one of the next big dominant forces in F1, and I am not talking about Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel can drive like a rocket. I hope he can pull something out of his RBR seat next year. I think more likely, he will have to wait for a seat at a top team. Maybe Raikkonen's in 2010.

Lewis Hamilton won the championship, and no one can take that away from him. He is talented enough, but as we've been saying all along, he needs to calm down. To me, the best drivers on the grid were held back because of bad teams, and if Massa or Hamilton had to face an Alonso, or (dare I say?) a Schumacher, both drivers would have had their asses handed to them.

This, I feel was the only real tragedy this year; we tune in to see the best in the world, and watching this season, I didn't feel like I saw it. Why do I feel this way?

Or maybe it was the lack of supreme competition that led to such drives. Maybe it's the call to arms, the need to beat a Michael Schumacher, that drove Alonso and Hakkinen to become what they have and vice versa. Maybe it's the fact that mistakes could have been afforded this year that allowed them to take place.

Maybe this is what happens when you take T/C off of a F1 car...

Whatever the case, you can't say there was a lack of excitement this season. Epic and suspenseful drives were the norm this year, with the processional drives limited to only a few of the Tilke circuits. (Why has this man not been sacked?)

Now we head into the off season with nothing to entertain us for 144 days. New rules and new cars next year. I would like to see Honda return to the front, but it seems a tall order. Especially if Alonso stays at Renault. GP2 talent seems the likely avenue for this team which means it might be another building year. That would be three in a row for a team that used to win championships in a dominant fashion.

I look forward to seeing what the engineers roll out for next year. If some in the FIA get their way, 2009 might be the last year for real Formula 1 racing. We just witnessed the end of an era in F1. The purpose of the sport and the role it has played since 1950 means these evolutions are often and necessary for the F1 to remain the pinnacle of motorsports.

Hybrid, and then full-electric automotive technology is the way of the future for everything with four-wheels, and as sad as it is for me to say, the sport has to lead that arm of development. Even if it comes at the cost of some of the things I love the most about the sport. If development were halted for nostalgic reasons, it would be contrary to the concept of the sport. Then we would pretty much have NASCAR.

I try to stay positive on the future of what has become almost an obsession of mine, but now that the season is over, I have to sit back and be satisfied with news reports and spy shots of what's to happen next year. Here's hoping we get a good show next year, and here's hoping Ferrari will be competitive again next year.

From here to Melbourne, it's "Let's go engineering!"

An excellent post Dr. S.

Overall I didn't think the race was that special in terms of a standalone race, but the tension at the end made it!

I think you're right in what you say about there not being the best drivers being out there - maybe it will take a little time for Massa, Hamilton and Raikkonen to hone their skills enough to be on a level with Schumacher and I think Alonso is right up there and will probably show this next season at Renault.

If you look at the last couple of laps, Hamilton could have thrown it away if it wasn't for that rain, running wide and letting Vettel through, as he might not have then caught Glock - another sign of him cracking under the pressue?

I was happy to see him win as you all know. I do feel sorry for Massa, as I think he has driven as well as Hamilton this season, if not better, but they have both run into their own problems alot this season - look at the points. 3 drivers had over 100 points last season, no-one did this year!

We've also seen 7 different race winners this year, which is great for the sport and I think this is one of the best seasons I've seen, just better 07.

I can't beleive we have to wait 5 months now until it all starts again.

I hope Vettel can carry on his performance next season too, I just hope that Red Bull is good enough - aren't they getting Ferrari engines next season? I'd love to see Honda get back to form as well, I think they will make a significant improvement over this season, as they've been working on the 09 car for some time now, but perhaps it could be a season similar to Renault's this season.

I'll be interested to see how BMW and Toyota fair next season, they've both had their ups and downs this year, it's a shame that Kubica dissappeared in the last two races.



And now what you've all been waiting for, the final standings!

1 Dr. Strangelove 38
2 Tune 34
3 Lancer007 33
4 bobo27 28
5 Uwe 22
6 Bjorn 21
7 skr 18
8 m_weinerich 17
9 Marien 16
10 Davidsen 15
11 Phix 12
12 infinity395 10
13 Tirmnyl 4
14 Neotax 1

Congratulations again Dr. S. Your strategy of posting for every race has paid off once more. I will be back next season and will try harder to make every race!! Pretty close at the top in the end, I think Lancer missed some races too?

I have some new ideas for next seasons competition, which I'll post up in a new topic, let me know what you think.

Thanks for everyone participating. If anyone wants to see the spreadsheet I kept on the competition for any reason, let me know and I'll email it to you.

Fuck you Autoblog, I went there before I watched the race because they are usually pretty good about not posting spoilers, and there is a big fucking picture of Hamilton, and the caption "Lewis Hamilton is the youngest ever F1 champion".

Hamilton deserves the win, although the same could be said about Massa...truthfully I was rooting for Massa, and think he will be kicking himself for throwing points away in the early part of the season.

I don't like Hamilton on the track (I think he's impulsive and draconian), although that being said I think he is a hell of nice guy off of the track, which I guess speaks to his professionalism.

Bring on 2009.

I don't know if any of you saw the ITV coverage, this was a cool little montage of their 12 years of coverage that will be handed back to the BBC next season. I love seeing the drivers in these more candid of moments.

lol, when the interviewer bursts into song while talking to Lewis Hamilton is great.

HAHAHAHA omg.. Steve Rider singing My Chemical Romance.. lolol