2008 F1 Season

The 2008 Formula One World Championship, marking the 62nd season of F1 racing, was a thrilling and historic series of 18 races, starting in Australia on March 16 and concluding in Brazil on November 2. This season was notable for the introduction of the Singapore Grand Prix, Formula One’s first-ever night race, and the European Grand Prix’s move to the Valencia Street Circuit. Lewis Hamilton clinched the Drivers’ Championship in a dramatic finale, becoming the youngest champion at the time and the first black driver to win the title. He secured the championship by just one point, overtaking Timo Glock in the final moments of the last race, while Felipe Massa, who finished first in Brazil, ended up as the runner-up. Kimi Räikkönen, the defending champion, finished third. Ferrari won the Constructors’ Championship, continuing their dominance.

Technical changes this season included the banning of traction control, and the season was the last to use grooved tyres, with slick tyres returning in 2009. The championship was also marked by the “Crashgate” scandal, where Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed at the Singapore Grand Prix to benefit his Renault teammate, Fernando Alonso. This season was Honda’s last before their withdrawal from F1, although they later returned as an engine supplier. Notably, 2008 was the first F1 season where all teams used the same two drivers throughout, a unique occurrence as of 2023. The season was also significant for being the first since 1991 without a Schumacher in the lineup, marking the end of an era in Formula One racing.