I did not hand Hamilton world title, insists Glock

Hamilton made up eight seconds on the final circuit at Interlagos yesterday as he passed the Toyota driver with the finish line almost in sight.

Fifth place was enough to hand the 23-year-old the title by one point — if he had finished sixth then race winner Felipe Massa would have been crowned world champion instead.

Glock's decision not to change tyres as the rain began to fall looked to have been the correct one as he maintained his speed on the closing laps — only for him to leave thousands of Brazilian Formula One fans stunned as he slowed down at the end on what appeared to be one of the driest sections of the track.

But the German said: "It was a hard race. I tried my best to get some points for Toyota.

"Six laps from the end I asked about the tyre situation and about the weather conditions, and I said every time I'll stay out, one more lap, one more lap' and at the end I stayed out for the whole race.

"That last lap just cost us the chance to be in the top five, and in the end (decided) the world championship.

"I think at the end I didn't give the title to Lewis — I think they worked for that the whole year, and Felipe as well. They both did a really great job all year and in the end it was a dramatic finale.

"I think it's exactly what the fans want to see — maybe the Brazilian fans are not on my side any more but I tried my best and drove my race, and in the end I can't change the result."

F1 tyres have an optimum operating temperature, and when they drop below that they rapidly lose grip.

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren's chief operating officer, said the team's computer data was telling them Hamilton would catch Glock on the final lap which is why the Briton allowed Sebastian Vettel to overtake him three laps out.

"At the end, we could see the rain coming, the pressure was building, we know how slippery and difficult it is in those conditions and we made, I think, all the right calls," Whitmarsh told Radio 5Live.

"But we had to believe in ourselves that we had made the right calls, that we shouldn't have taken big risks defending against a charging Vettel, who had none of the pressure Lewis had.

"It was super-disciplined to believe that, in not out-and-out fighting and potentially losing it with Vettel, in the course of that final lap we would catch Glock."

Hamilton has vowed never to put himself or his supporters through those agonies as he chases the multiple titles that could make him the biggest sporting star in the world.

At 23 years and 301 days old, Hamilton became the youngest champion in the 58-year history of Formula One and Briton's first since Damon Hill.
Hamilton said: "I hope this is the first of many championships.

"But I don't know if my heart can take that final lap in many more seasons. I'll try to do it in better style next time."

When he crossed the finish line, the McLaren driver had no idea whether he was champion. He added: "I was shouting do I have it, do I have it?'. Then they came on the radio when I was at Turn One and they told me. I was ecstatic. It was one of the toughest races of my life, if not the toughest."

Hill, who took Britain's last world title in 1996, led the tributes to Hamilton.

Hill, president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, said: "He is possibly one of the greatest drivers we have had in this country and I think he is going to go on to win many more world titles."

Red Bull's David Coulthard (above), whose last race before retirement ended in a collision on the first lap, said: "I think I played a part. He was the young guy for many years at McLaren when I was racing there —the young apprentice if you like — and he's gone on to achieve what I never managed to achieve. He deserves this championship."

Three-time champion Sir Jackie Stewart was also full of praise.

"There's no reason why Lewis can't win more titles," said Stewart. "He's with probably the best racing team, and he has exceptional talent and raw skill."

Four-time F1 runner-up Stirling Moss added: "He's good in the wet, good in the dry — he's a remarkably good driver."

However, former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan was less impressed: "Lewis is a great street-fighter on the track, but when he becomes defensive and does not get pole position I am concerned that his guile is always a lap or two too late. It is a miracle he won."