It’s the day of the season finale of the 2025 Formula One (F1) season. Two McLaren drivers are in contention for the title, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen also in the fight. With a potentially thrilling showdown ahead, this is the perfect time to revisit the last occasion when a McLaren driver won a championship after a dramatic season finale.
2008 was the last time McLaren won the drivers’ title. Lewis Hamilton won with the team in one of the most thrilling F1 seasons.
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Pre-Season Context
Ferrari entered the 2008 season as defending champions with the strongest package (the F2008). McLaren was returning from the 2007 “Spygate” controversy and was now fully backing Lewis Hamilton, who was entering his second F1 season.
Felipe Massa had to prove himself against his teammate, Kimi Räikkönen, the reigning world champion. The stage was set for another intense chapter in the McLaren-Ferrari rivalry.
Initial Rounds
The season did not start well for Massa as he crashed in both Australia and Malaysia, putting him on the back foot. Hamilton won the season opener in Australia but made mistakes in the following rounds in Bahrain and Canada. With Massa struggling, Räikkönen, who had strong pace, took advantage and led the early part of the season.
Massa responded with back-to-back wins in Turkey and France, reviving his championship hopes. Early-season swings prevented any driver from building a significant lead, keeping the title battle wide open.
In the seventh round in Canada, Hamilton crashed into Räikkönen at the pit exit under red lights. Massa capitalised and collected important points.
Hamilton’s Peak Mid-Season Drive
The season hit its peak at the British Grand Prix. Hamilton’s brilliant wet-weather drive earned him a dominant victory by over a minute, helping him regain the championship lead. He followed it with another win in Germany after starting P5 and navigating a chaotic, safety-car-affected race.
Hungary was disastrous for Massa: after leading most of the race, his engine failed with three laps to go. Hamilton also suffered a puncture.
Nelson Piquet’s deliberate crash
Round 15 in Singapore produced pure chaos. Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed to help his Renault teammate Fernando Alonso. Massa pitted under the safety car, but a pit error left the fuel hose attached, and he drove off with it, losing crucial time. Alonso won, while Hamilton finished P3.
This was a major blow to Massa’s title hopes. Entering the final round at Interlagos, Hamilton needed P5 or higher to become champion, while Massa needed to win and hope Hamilton finished sixth or lower.
Final that will be remembered for ages
The rain delayed the start. Ferrari were slow with tyre changes, but Massa still kept the lead. Hamilton was running safely in the P4-P5 range. The track dried mid-race, and everyone switched to slicks. Massa looked unbeatable, and Hamilton was in a comfortable title-winning position.
With 10 laps remaining, rain returned. Hamilton pitted, but Toyota’s Timo Glock stayed out on slicks and moved ahead of him, though Hamilton was still in P5 and on track to win the championship.
Then Sebastian Vettel passed Hamilton, dropping him to P6 with only a few laps left. In the Ferrari garage, Massa’s family began celebrating. Massa crossed the line with a 13-second lead over second-placed Alonso, and for a moment, it appeared he had done enough to become the 2008 world champion.
But Hamilton had not given up. Glock, still on slicks, was struggling badly on the increasingly wet track. Both Vettel and Hamilton caught him. In the final corner of the final lap, Hamilton overtook Glock for P5 just enough to clinch his maiden F1 championship and conclude one of the most dramatic seasons in the sport’s history.
Will McLaren win another driver’s title today and add a new chapter to their legacy, or will Max Verstappen secure his fifth championship?
