Lewis Hamilton goes into Sunday’s season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix knowing he could be crowned Formula One world champion when the chequered flag falls.
The 23-year-old McLaren driver has a seven-point lead over Ferrari rival Felipe Massa and, even if the Brazilian wins at Interlagos, Hamilton only has to finish fifth to clinch the title.
But F1′s final-race title-deciders are often littered with misfortune and drama – as Hamilton knows only too well after blowing his chances of winning the crown in Brazil last season.
Can Hamilton hang on to become Britain’s first champion since 1996 and the youngest in the history of the sport – or will destiny deny him once more?
BBC Sport rounds up the opinions of motorsport’s great and good as the countdown to Brazil begins.
EDDIE JORDAN – FORMER JORDAN TEAM OWNER
Eddie Jordan
“A mistake cost McLaren the championship last season and it must not happen again,” Jordan told BBC Sport.
“Then it would become even more difficult in years to come for Lewis to become world champion.
“I think Lewis is in a stronger situation this year because truthfully Massa is not a Kimi Raikkonen. He seems slightly flawed in the wet and customarily Brazil is wet.
“Mentally, Hamilton seems very strong. He comes across so strong that he is perhaps, dare I say, even too strong.
“The problem I have with Hamilton is that he is alienating himself from the drivers and Formula One is a political game as much as it is about the talent.
“To have Hamilton alienated so much by the rest of the field and the stewards is a concern because when you are in a fight you needs as many allies as you can possibly find.”
MURRAY WALKER – F1 COMMENTATOR
Murray Walker
“This season has been enormously competitive and if Hamilton has an Achilles heel it’s that he strives for perfection and nothing less than winning will do for him,” stated Walker.
“Yes, he has made mistakes because of impetuosity this year but it is only his second year in Formula One.
“When the lights go out all he is thinking about is getting to the front and staying there and a way he can learn to improve is to control his emotions.
WHAT HAMILTON NEEDS TO DO
If Massa wins in Brazil, Hamilton must finish at least fifth to be champion
If Massa is second, Hamilton must finish at least seventh
If Massa is third or lower, Hamilton is champion regardless of his result in Brazil
“It’s a very steep learning curve and he still has a lot to learn.
“I would be absolutely delighted if Hamilton won the world championship. He is a fresh, young face and what you see is what you get.
“It would be immensely important if he wins because people were getting a bit bored with Formula One, with Schumacher and Ferrari winning year after year.
“Hamilton has come in with a very good car and he has captured the imagination of the world and raised the profile of F1.
“But we should never lose sight of the fact that if it wasn’t for McLaren, Hamilton would not be where he is now, in some ways he is the first manufactured F1 driver.”
JOHN SURTEES – 1964 WORLD CHAMPION
John Surtees
“It is not going to be easy for Lewis,” Surtees, who hauled back a five-point deficit to snatch the 1964 world title from Graham Hill at the final race in Mexico, told The Times.
“Massa is going to be very quick but at the same time he does not need to race Massa.
“Hamilton needs to make certain of a good grid position to stay out of trouble, he has to forget about the championship and think about the race.
“You need to harness inner competitiveness with brain functions and Lewis is an extreme competitor like Michael Schumacher but he is not a stupid person.”
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA – McLAREN DRIVER 2005-06
Juan Pablo Montoya
“I think Felipe will probably win the race,” Montoya, who now races in the American Nascar series, told Autosport.com.
“If I was Lewis, I would not be anywhere close to him. If Felipe comes anywhere near him, I would let him by.
606: DEBATE
My only doubts remaining for Lewis this weekend relate to his impetuous attitude
Weareracing
“Lewis has got to play this pretty smart. When you are that young and you are in Formula One, you want to win every race. That is great but when you are points-racing all of a sudden, you have got to learn that a different result can be the best one for you.
“I think Lewis will win the title, I will be surprised if he doesn’t. He has done a good job with his career and I think he is a great guy.”
JOHN WATSON – McLAREN DRIVER 1979-85
John Watson
“When the first title arrives for Hamilton I think there will be many more titles,” Watson told the BBC.
“His career and future are as long as he wants them to be but right now things are pretty intense and I think most people don’t realise that.
“He has not got the experience and he is making errors; but the fundamentals are he has got the commitment, he has got the speed and he has got the team behind him.
“This title race is really little more than the beginning.
“Can a man equal Michael Schumacher and go beyond seven titles?
“Well, right now Hamilton is the only one who has the capacity and the burning ambition to go out and achieve it – but it is an enormous task and we’ll have to wait and see.”
