319 replies to this topic

[nigel red5]

Kimi Raiikkonen wins the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, and with it the 2007 FIA Formula One world championship.

It was an explosive race, filled with drama from the very start. At the lights Felipe Massa got the jump from pole position, and the Braziliand led the field away into turn one. However behind him Kimi Raikkonen buzzed round Hamilton and into second place. Instantly Fernando Alonso saw his chance and sent a move round the outside of Hamilton in turn two, and the pair were side by side through turn three with Alonso holding the line and taking the place. Down the backstraight and into turn four Hamilton missed his brakes and went off the road and onto the extra tarmac area. He rejoined in a lowly eighth place.

The drama continued. With Massa, Raikkonen and Alonso holding the top three places in the early stages of the race, suddenly the recovering Lewis Hamilton slowed dramatically with some kind of gear selectio problem, and he lost 30 seconds alone on that single lap. From then on winning the title was going to be an uphill struggle for the Briton.

Up front, the Ferraris pulled away quite easily from Alonso, who did'nt have the race pace today to stay with them. At the final pitstop the predictable switch between Massa and Raikkonen was put into action, and Raikkonen emerged from the pits in a lead he was never to lose.

So Finland gets it's first world champion since Mika Hakkinen in 1999, and it's party-time in Finland tonight.

[JazH]

KIMI!!!!

[TheSaltire]

WOW!!! I don't believe it...and part of me doesn't want to believe it. But congrats to Kimi. What a season.

[Ross Stonefeld]

[santori]

A suitable successor to 1986.

[SlateGray]

kimi: yes I think so!

[330R]

YEAH KIMI!

[fillern]

There is a god, and he loves formula 1!

I still can't believe this...

KIMI!!!!!

[Cinquecento]

Goddamn! Kimi!

[slick1jayj]

All I can say.... Well fought championship!

[black magic]

wow

go kimi

perhaps as unpredictable as it may have been this result might just make some peace

[Hakk]

Oh my... amazing. Congratulations KIMI!

[dutra]

KIMI SHOW!!!!!!!!!KIMI SHOW!!!!!!!!!

[outofspace]

Kimi Raiikkonen - superb
Lewis Hamilton - God's Justice
Robert Kubica - Thanks for another great entertainment

[brandnizzle]

Congrats Kimi! Not a fan, but at the same time its nice to see you finally win one - a lot of the bad luck you've had has been paid off today!

[Jacquesback]

Ferrari obviously used team orders which are clearly illegal. I hope the result is protested and taken to the WMSC!

[prettyface]

I'm so happy I'll marry anyone right now

[ensign14]

Congratulations to Kimi, the guy who won the most races under normal circumstances deserves the world title. And he was ****ed in 2003, although he was not driving a Ferrari then.

One wonders what would have happened had McLaren protested the Melbourne result, but of course they're McLaren.

Hamilton over the year was probably the best driver - he lost at least 15 points through mechanical failure that was not his fault.

McLaren didn't have it at the last race, even had Hamilton not had his problem he'd've still been at least 20 seconds behind.

Meanwhile I fear for the BB, it's going to be swamped with pseudo-racists gloating about the failure of a black British rookie to win the world title after 17 Grands Prix of his career.

But I'm guessing Kimi will sweep next year, he's now got the measure of Massa and the FIA will not put an equality czar in place at Ferrari.

[Ghostrider]

Great stuff, well deserved Kimi.

[cska]

**** happens.
next year, lewis!
respect for what you did!

[Dmitriy_Guller]

Can't hold it against Kimi, but it's a shame that Ferrari have got that one as well, after all they and FIA have done this season. What are the odds that Lewis pulled a Montoya when he ran over the curbs and damaged his electronics?

[santori]

Oh, God, HSJ is going to be unbearable.

[Only Massa]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah!

McThieves got what they deserved!

Kudos to Kimi and Ferrari!

I'm sorry for all british readers, but you were supporting the bad guys.

Watching Ron Dennis suffer his guts out is priceless.

[rhm]

Boy am I glad this season is over!

Congrats to Kimi, he deserved it after all these years of trying.

[MortenF1]

Fantastic race with a fantastic outcome! Congrats Kimi Mathias Räikkönen!!!!!!
I'm sure Massa could've won today but Räikkönen's laps when Massa pitted was great!

Alonso was anonymous this weekend. Hamilton has been superb this season of course, but it wasn't to be.

Good performance from the BMW's.

Drive of the day goes to Rosberg for me. Fantastic pace!

Red Bull gave DC a hopeless task with more than 20 laps on the supersofts. Webber retires, sadly, but with Rosberg on fire it wouldn't have been enough for Red Bull.

Horrible result for Renault.

Barrichello was fast yesterday, but today he was miles off Button.

Aaah, Räikkönen world champion!!

[emburmak]

KR is worthy WDC. At the end of the day with all the spy-scandal KR has finally lifted himself above the muck and no longer a foot-note. To him goes the mantle of WDC. I can't say I am happy today but at least the man who won is deserving.

FM Great drive but had to play the team game.

FA Did his best but no match to the Ferrari's

LH I still support him but the last two races have really shown that his inexperience showed. Nevertheless he can only improve.

NR Tigerish Drive

RK Solid


NH Solid

The rest well next season.

[Wout]

Hamilton losing the WDC because of reliability problems. Who would have thought... :

But much deserved for Kimi

[prty]

[dutra]

It's just me or Kimi was more exceted in Melbourne??

[austin]

Originally posted by nigel red5

So Finland gets it's first world champion since Keke Rosberg in 1982, and it's party-time in Finland tonight.

No love for Mika?

[jokuvaan]

Congrats to Kimi, he deserved it after all these years of trying.

truly indeed

[djellison]

Astonishing performance by Ferrari - they turned their lack of early season reliability around. All credit to KR, and to FM for picking up the soap. Given the entire spygate issue, I can't help thinking that the 'right' team won given the * that would forever be beside an Alonso or LH championship win.

110,109,109 - a brilliant championship - bring on 2008

Now we get a great few weeks of musical-contracts


Dog

[MattPete]

I had this feeling that even if Hamilton hadn't had the gearbox problem (or whatever it was), he was have found a way to toss the race away. It's almost as if the problems made him cool down.

Overall, I thought Hamilton drove like a rookie today, not a champion. I predict that he'll win multiple championships, but this year Kimi and Alonso were the better drivers, and I'm glad to see that Kimi finally won a championship.

[sephiroth]

Lol Hamilton. I want to see a video of his (and his father's) face when he gets out of the car.

[cosmoK]

Congrats Kimi!!!!

Congrats Ferrari!!!!

Well done Felipe!!!!

[PdlR]

As it's being said in TV3 (catalan local television), Ron Dennis is looking for the rope that suits better his neck.

Congratulations, Kimmi! Nice end to the season! The driver with most supporters - and most victories this year - has won the championship!

[UPRC]

Originally posted by nigel red5
So Finland gets it's first world champion since Keke Rosberg in 1982, and it's party-time in Finland tonight.

Forget about Mika already??


Bravo Kimi! I've been waiting YEARS for this!

[pacificquay]

Congrats Kimi.

Alonso must be reflecting on the fact if he'd displayed a better attitude and kept a calmer head at times this year, he'd now be a 3 times world champion.

[kar]

Ironic then that Ferrari reliability wins it the title after the disaster of earlier in the season!

My sig says it all, we always fight, we never give up.

Congrats Kimi

[sephiroth]

Originally posted by prty

Best image EVER!

[president evil]

WELL DONE KIMI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After all the Spit that McLaren got up to this year this is sweet justice and sweet revenge!!

[juary]

Justice is done....

congrats Kimi

Nakajima is a killer...

[JesseFriz]

Unbelievable race!!! Kimi finally gets that deserved WDC in the same year people were saying he'd be sacked mid-season. Incredible turn of events, and even though team orders played a part, who can blame ferrarri for taking the oppurtunity to win the WDC? Incredible season

[schuey100]

Can you imagine how RD is feeling right now? LOL!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats Kimi, you deserved it, kept your mouth shut, drove quickly and won the WDC!!!!!!!!

[airwise]

Hard luck Lewis. What a time to have your team's first reliability issue. Still, F1 has a new superstar.

A worthy champion though which is important. Well done Kimi -the quickest car/driver combo of the year.

Great drive from Nico too.

[SphereTL1000S]

I havent even had coffee, it 1030 am in San Francisco, but I going to open a beer!!!


Congrats Kimi, finally you got it!!!! Well deserved!!

Massa, good job, fast as well, keep on this learning curve, son!

Hamilton, maybe his worst race of the year, terrible decisions at the beginning. In the end, Mclaren let him down.

Alonso, could have done nothing diffrent really, he could not challenge the Ferrari's he engaged a fuel saving mode and hope for the best. No way he could get past Massa or Kimi on pace alone.

Rosberg, brave moves, Kubica and Heidfeld, thanks for the show.


Ferrari was really the car to have at the end, WCC would be deservedly Ferrari's!!! The best car won both titles!!! YES!

Next year, it is Massa's turn!!! GO BUDDY, GO!!!!!

[Blythy]

awww ****

first webber goes out

then sunderland lose with a ****ing own goal

then kimi gets the title.

damn good race though.

[Dalton007]

England lost 3 times in one week

[nigel red5]

I have'nt the faintest idea why Hakkinen escaped me, after all, he's been at the damn circuit all weekend.

[rage2]

Congrats Kimi! Well fought battle by Hamilton, never gave up at all. It's too bad the McLaren suffered a random mechanical problem for a single lap. Excellent season!