Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa are taking the Formula One World Championship down to the wire in Brazil next weekend and whatever the result, their showdown promises to be a thriller. 2008 has been a very hard fought season so it is quite fitting that such an exciting year for Grand Prix racing will have a very exciting finish.
Some championship seasons are close because the main contenders are able to consistently score decent results all year. That was the case in 2007 when the top drivers shared the major points fairly evenly amongst themselves at every round.
On the other hand, championships can be tight because the title challengers continually run into trouble. This has been the story of 2008. Five teams and seven drivers have taken Grand Prix victories this year, and the World Championship lead has changed numerous times between four different men. The championship is not being decided between Hamilton and Massa because they have dominated the season, but because they are the last two men standing after a year of mayhem, mistakes and missed opportunities.
Both drivers have had very similar seasons.
A look at the statistics for Hamilton and Massa in 2008 will reveal just how close their campaigns have been. They have taken the same number of wins, the same number of front row starts, and almost the same number of podiums. They have made a similar number of mistakes and have both endured technical gremlins and poor choices on behalf of their teams.
Perhaps most astonishingly, after 17 rounds of wheel to wheel racing, Massa has led just four more laps that Hamilton. They really are neck and neck heading into Interlagos.
A deeper look into the numbers will reveal even more interesting details, such as Lewis Hamilton’s ability to take advantage of the mixed up races, and his improved qualifying performances over the second half of the season. Hamilton is finishing the year in much the same way that Massa started it.
Another interesting point can be found in the number of overtaking manoeuvres and mistakes made in wet weather. This shows just how confident Lewis is in comparison to Felipe in such conditions, and this may well be the deciding factor in the World Championship.
The figures do indeed tell a fascinating story.
LEWIS HAMILTON VS FELIPE MASSA – 2008 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
HAMILTON
94
MASSA
87
VICTORIES AND WINNING MARGINS
HAMILTON
Australian Grand Prix – 5 seconds ahead of Heidfeld
Monaco Grand Prix – 3 seconds ahead of Kubica
British Grand Prix – 68 seconds ahead of Heidfeld
German Grand Prix – 5 seconds ahead of Piquet
Chinese Grand Prix – 14 seconds ahead of Massa
MASSA
Bahrain Grand Prix – 3 seconds ahead of Raikkonen
Turkish Grand Prix – 3 seconds ahead of Hamilton
French Grand Prix – 17 seconds ahead of Raikkonen
European Grand Prix – 5 seconds ahead of Hamilton
Belgian Grand Prix – 9 seconds from Heidfeld
OTHER PODIUMS
HAMILTON
Spanish Grand Prix – 3rd
Turkish Grand Prix – 2nd
European Grand Prix – 2nd
Belgian Grand Prix – 3rd
Singapore Grand Prix – 3rd
MASSA
Spanish Grand Prix – 3rd
Monaco Grand Prix – 3rd
German Grand Prix – 3rd
Chinese Grand Prix – 2nd
LAPS LED
HAMILTON
Australian Grand Prix – 50
Spanish Grand Prix – 1
Turkish Grand Prix – 11
Monaco Grand Prix – 44
Canadian Grand Prix – 18
British Grand Prix – 55
German Grand Prix – 54
Hungarian Grand Prix – 1
European Grand Prix – 4
Belgian Grand Prix – 4
Chinese Grand Prix – 53
TOTAL – 295
MASSA
Malaysian Grand Prix – 16
Bahrain Grand Prix – 51
Turkish Grand Prix – 42
Monaco Grand Prix – 22
French Grand Prix – 34
German Grand Prix – 3
Hungarian Grand Prix – 60
European Grand Prix – 50
Belgian Grand Prix – 4
Singapore Grand Prix – 17
TOTAL – 299
POLE POSITIONS
HAMILTON
Australian Grand Prix
Canadian Grand Prix
German Grand Prix
Hungarian Grand Prix
Belgian Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix
Chinese Grand Prix
MASSA
Malaysian Grand Prix
Turkish Grand Prix
Monaco Grand Prix
European Grand Prix
Singapore Grand Prix
OTHER FRONT ROW STARTS
HAMILTON
European Grand Prix
Singapore Grand Prix
MASSA
Bahrain Grand Prix
French Grand Prix
German Grand Prix
Belgian Grand Prix
FASTEST LAPS
HAMILTON
Chinese Grand Prix
MASSA
European Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix
BIGGEST WINNING MARGIN OVER EACH OTHER
HAMILTON
British Grand Prix – Took first place two laps ahead of Massa
MASSA
Bahrain Grand Prix – Took first place one lap ahead of Hamilton
OVERTAKING MANOEUVRES MADE ON EACH OTHER
HAMILTON
Turkish Grand Prix – Passed Massa for the lead at turn 12 on lap 24
German Grand Prix – Passed Massa for 2nd at the hairpin on lap 57
MASSA
Bahrain Grand Prix – Passed Hamilton at the start
Hungarian Grand Prix – Passed Hamilton for the lead at the first corner on lap 1
OVERTAKING MANOEUVRES MADE ON OTHER DRIVERS
HAMILTON
Malaysian Grand Prix – Kovalainen, Alonso, Heidfeld, and Trulli at the start
Bahrain Grand Prix – Davidson on lap 22
Bahrain Grand Prix – Sato on lap 24
Bahrain Grand Prix – Fisichella on lap 31
Bahrain Grand Prix – Nakajima on lap 53
Spanish Grand Prix – Kubica at the start
Turkish Grand Prix – Kovalainen at the start
Monaco Grand Prix – Raikkonen at the start
French Grand Prix – Heidfeld at the start
French Grand Prix – Vettel and Coulthard on lap 1
French Grand Prix – Kovalainen on lap 5
French Grand Prix – Rosberg on lap 28
French Grand Prix – Alonso on lap 47
French Grand Prix – Vettel on lap 54
French Grand Prix – Glock on lap 57
British Grand Prix – Raikkonen and Webber at the start
British Grand Prix – Kovalainen on lap 5
German Grand Prix – Kovalainen on lap 52
German Grand Prix – Piquet on lap 60
Belgian Grand Prix – Raikkonen on lap 43
Italian Grand Prix – Coulthard on lap 4
Italian Grand Prix – Fisichella on lap 10
Italian Grand Prix – Raikkonen on lap 11
Italian Grand Prix – Heidfeld on lap 14
Italian Grand Prix – Glock on lap 16
Italian Grand Prix – Kubica on lap 17
Italian Grand Prix – Alonso on lap 19
Italian Grand Prix – Trulli on lap 23
Italian Grand Prix – Rosberg on lap 24
Singapore Grand Prix – Coulthard on lap 42
Japanese Grand Prix – Piquet on lap 1
Japanese Grand Prix – Button on lap 34
Japanese Grand Prix – Barrichello on lap 42
MASSA
Australian Grand Prix – Piquet on lap 13
Australian Grand Prix – Nakajima on lap 17
Australian Grand Prix – Sato on lap 20
Australian Grand Prix – Coulthard on lap 26
Spanish Grand Prix – Alonso at the start
Canadian Grand Prix – Bourdais on lap 29
Canadian Grand Prix – Webber on lap 34
Canadian Grand Prix – Nakajima and Button on lap 39
Canadian Grand Prix – Barrichello and Kovalainen on lap 51
Canadian Grand Prix – Barrichello on lap 61
Canadian Grand Prix – Trulli on lap 68
French Grand Prix – Raikkonen on lap 39
British Grand Prix – Rosberg on lap 16
British Grand Prix – Fisichella on lap 17
Hungarian Grand Prix – Kovalainen at the start
Italian Grand Prix – Rosberg on lap 13
Italian Grand Prix – Rosberg on lap 15
Singapore Grand Prix – Bourdais on lap 22
Japanese Grand Prix – Alonso at the start
Japanese Grand Prix – Piquet on lap 1
Japanese Grand Prix – Button on lap 29
Japanese Grand Prix – Webber on lap 40
Japanese Grand Prix – Heidfeld on lap 60
Japanese Grand Prix – Webber on lap 65
Chinese Grand Prix – Raikkonen on lap 49
CONTACT WITH OTHER DRIVERS
HAMILTON
Bahrain Grand Prix – Crashed into the back of Alonso whilst trying to overtake on lap 2
Canadian Grand Prix – Crashed into the back of Raikkonen whilst exiting the pits on lap 19
Italian Grand Prix – Clipped the side of Webber whilst defending 7th position on lap 49
Japanese Grand Prix – Hit by Massa whilst trying to overtake on lap 2
MASSA
Australian Grand Prix – Hit by Coulthard whilst overtaking on lap 26
Japanese Grand Prix – Crashed into Hamilton whilst defending 5th position on lap 2
Japanese Grand Prix – Crashed into Bourdais whilst defending 8th position on lap 50
DRIVING MISTAKES
HAMILTON
Bahrain Grand Prix – Fluffed the start and dropped 7 places at the beginning of lap 1
Bahrain Grand Prix – Crashed into the back of Alonso on lap 2, damaging his nosecone
Monaco Grand Prix – Hit the wall at Tabac on lap 6, damaging his right rear wheel
Canadian Grand Prix – Crashed into Raikkonen in the pitlane on lap 19 and retired instantly
French Grand Prix – Missed the Nurburgring chicane apex whilst passing Vettel on lap 1
Belgian Grand Prix – Spun at La Source on lap 2 and dropped 1 place
Belgian Grand Prix – Ran wide onto the grass at Fagnes and dropped 1 place
Japanese Grand Prix – Ran wide at the first turn on lap 1, dropping 2 places
Japanese Grand Prix – Ran wide at the third turn on lap 1, dropping 4 places
MASSA
Australian Grand Prix – Spun at the first corner on lap 1, damaging the nosecone
Malaysian Grand Prix – Spun into the gravel and out of the race on lap 31
Monaco Grand Prix – Ran down the escape road at Ste Devote on lap 16, dropping 1 place
British Grand Prix – Spun at Abbey on lap 1, dropping to second last
British Grand Prix – Spun at Woodcote on lap 3, dropping to last
British Grand Prix – Spun at Maggots on lap 38
British Grand Prix – Spun at Woodcote on lap 48
British Grand Prix – Spun at Abbey on lap 57
Italian Grand Prix – Missed the second chicane apex whilst passing Rosberg on lap 13
Singapore Grand Prix – Spun at turn 18 on lap 50
Japanese Grand Prix – Ran wide at the first corner on lap 1, dropping 3 places
Japanese Grand Prix – Crashed into Hamilton on lap 2, dropping 2 places
TEAM MISTAKES
HAMILTON
German Grand Prix – Neglected to pit Hamilton under the Safety Car, dropping him 4 places
Italian Grand Prix – Put intermediate tyres on Hamilton’s car in Q2, leaving him out of Q3
MASSA
British Grand Prix – Left old intermediate tyres on Massa’s car whilst the rain was increasing
Singapore Grand Prix – Released Massa from his first pit top with the fuel hose attached
FAILURES TO FINISH
HAMILTON
Canadian Grand Prix – Collision
MASSA
Australian Grand Prix – Engine failure
Malaysian Grand Prix – Spun off
Hungarian Grand Prix – Engine failure
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES THAT DIDN’T RESULT IN RETIREMENT
HAMILTON
Malaysian Grand Prix – Lost time at his first pit stop due to a sticky front right wheel
Hungarian Grand Prix – Suffered a front left puncture on lap 41 and dropped nine places
MASSA
Canadian Grand Prix – Had a fuel rig failure at his first stop and had to pit again within 2 laps
PENALTIES
HAMILTON
Malaysian Grand Prix – 5 place grid penalty for impeding Heidfeld in Q3
French Grand Prix – 10 place grid penalty for colliding with Raikkonen in Canada
French Grand Prix – Drive through penalty for passing Vettel off the racetrack
Belgian Grand Prix – 25 second penalty for taking an advantage by cutting a chicane
Japanese Grand Prix – Drive through penalty for forcing Raikkonen off the track
MASSA
Singapore Grand Prix – Drive through penalty for an unsafe release from his pitstop
Japanese Grand Prix – Drive through penalty for causing an avoidable collision