2008 Brazilian Grand Prix predictions

30th October 2008, 17:00 by Keith Collantine 75 Comments »

Lewis Hamilton is my pick for victory for the second race in a row - and the title

Lewis Hamilton is my pick for victory for the second race in a row - and the title

Heading into the final race of the season the momentum and the expected track conditions seem to favour Lewis Hamilton.

But last year was a case study in how championships that look like foregone conclusions can still be lost.

Will history repeat itself at Interlagos? Make your predictions for the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix below.

On paper, you’d be a fool to bet against Hamilton to win the Brazilian Grand Prix. He dominated the last round in a manner that told you exactly how little the criticism being hurled at him from many of his rivals affected his mental balance.

As mentioned in the Brazilian Grand Prix preview, Bridgestone are bringing harder tyres, which should suit McLaren better. Although Interlagos has been a ‘Ferrari track’ in recent years, so was Shanghai.

Since writing the race preview the weather forecasts have swung towards a wet weekend. This is where McLaren and Hamilton have excelled this year: particularly when a track moves from dry to wet conditions and when it is fully soaked.

Rain or shine, Hamilton’s chances of victory are, on paper, very good. But that doesn’t mean he couldn’t suffer a repeat of any of last year’s blunders (the first lap mistakes, the gearbox glitch, the strategy error) or be clobbered by the random hand of the stewards once more.

I think Ferrari will be strong enough to clinch the constructors’ championship, but their positions in this last race will reflect Kimi Raikkonen’s revival in these late races:

1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Kimi Raikkonen
3. Felipe Massa

That would make Hamilton the drivers’ champion and Ferrari the constructors’ champions.

Chinese Grand Prix predictions results

After a string of flawed predictions I finally nailed one at China. The only thing wrong with my podium prediction for Shanghai was that I didn’t put any money on it…

Congratulations to DMW who also got the top three exactly right.

What’s your podium prediction for the Brazilian Grand Prix?

Plus a bonus question: Who will with the two championships?

Read more: Articles in full | Autódromo José Carlos Pace | Brazilian Grand Prix | F1 races | F1 Tracks