2008 Season

Lewis Hamilton won the Drivers’ Championship, driving for McLaren, while Ferrari secured the Constructors’ title in a season contested over 18 races. The championship battle was closely fought, with Hamilton finishing on 98 points, just one ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, who scored 97 points. The points-gap between Hamilton and Massa fluctuated throughout the season, with both drivers exchanging the lead multiple times. After round 9, Hamilton, Massa, and Kimi Räikkönen were tied on 48 points, highlighting the competitiveness of the campaign. The title remained undecided until the final round, where Hamilton’s fifth win of the season was enough to secure the championship despite Massa achieving six victories.

Ferrari’s consistency, with eight wins split between Massa and Räikkönen, enabled them to accumulate 172 points and claim the Constructors’ Championship ahead of McLaren and BMW Sauber. Seven different drivers won races, including notable victories by Robert Kubica for BMW Sauber, Sebastian Vettel for Toro Rosso, and Fernando Alonso for Renault. Vettel’s win at the Italian Grand Prix marked a significant achievement for Toro Rosso.

The season featured a high number of race winners and a tightly contested championship, distinguishing it as one of the closest title battles of its era. The 2008 season took place under the V8 engine regulation period and was characterized by competitive balance among the leading teams, with no single driver or constructor dominating throughout the year.