Kimi Raikkonen is Formula One champion

Kimi Raikkonen came from behind in the championship table to become Formula One champion this afternoon as leader Lewis Hamilton suffered the double blows of a mistake at the opening of the all important Brazilian grand prix and a temporary failure in his McLaren that relegated him to the back of the grid, from which he could not completely recover.

Fernando Alonso had to give up his crown after seeing Raikkonen slip past at the start of the race and then failing to make it better than third.

It was an amazing race for Ferrari, who dominated from start to finish and Raikkonen crowned his first year in the Scuderia when he went past team-mate Massa after the second pit stop, enabling him to claim the championship.

The race was held in dry and hotter than usual temperatures, compounding problems for team strategists concerned that the newly resurfaced part of the circuit was causing heavy graining of the super soft tyres.

One of the big questions in this race was what would happen in the narrow first curve. Raikkonen quickly passed Hamilton to take second.. Hamilton was also passed by Alonso and the Briton then tried to fight back, made a huge mistake, locked wheels and ran wide into the run off areas, finding himself in eighth place.

Yamamoto meanwhile crashed into the Renault of Giancarlo Fisichela, scattering debris on the track. Fisichella made it to the pits but also retired.

Hamilton quickly passed Trulli but then came up to the more difficult BMW of Nick Heidfeld who however made a mistake from which the Briton profited for P6. He now quickly closed in on Webber but then disaster struck. The McLaren suddenly slowed, but then again picked up speed, an electronic problem perhaps? As cars roared past, he dropped to P18. McLaren’s bullet proof reliability had come unstuck at a crucial stage.

At this point it was Alonso, in third place, who was on course for the crown.

The Briton now had to start a massive fightback. He passed Barrichello for P17 then Sutil for P16. Then he passed Schumacher (Toyota), Sato (Super Aguri) and Nakagima (Williams) for P11. But TV footage showed his tyres were starting to suffer under the punishment.

The Ferraris, meanwhile, were widening their gap from Alonso in the front. Massa was almost 10 seconds ahead by lap 14. The BMWs of Kubica and Heidfeld were behind him as Webber retired from fifth.

Leader Massa came in for his first pit stop on lap 20, rejoining in third. Raikkonen came in a lap later after the fastest lap so far, handing the lead to Alonso. He rejoined in third behind Alonso and Massa. But Alonso came in a couple of laps later. He rejoined in fourth with Heidfeld in third not having refuelled.

Hamilton, meanwhile was now in 10th behind Button (Honda). He then came into the pits and took on the super soft tyres and not much fuel, his strategy having probably been changed. He was now in P14.

Sutil (Spyker) ran into Davidson (Super Aguri) on lap 25 and the latter retired.

Heidfeld came into the pits and Alonso returned to third.

Hamilton was on P13 now. While the Ferraris were flying at the front, with home boy Massa 3.2s ahead of Raikkonen.

Behind Alonso in third were Kubica (BMW) Trulli (Toyota), Heidfeld, Rosberg (Williams) and Coulthard (Red Bull).

Hamilton risked all to pass Barrichello (Honda) for 12th.

Kubica, in fourth, was meanwhile gaining fast on Alonso. By 31 he was staring into his gearbox.

Nakagima (Williams) who had been ninth, came in fast for his first pit stop on lap 31 and hit and injured two mechanics.

Kubica now found a way past Alonso and at this stage, with Alonso fourth, the virtual classification put Raikkonen and Alonso equal on points, with Raikkonen with a hand on the crown, having achieved more race wins!

Hamilton, meanwhile, passed Vettel to ninth and then came in for a second pit on lap 39. The Renault of Heikki Kovalainen mow appeared to suffer a tyre failure and he crashed into a wall, the second Renault to retire. This was a sad season for the outgoing champions, with only one appearance on the podium.

Kubica came into the pits a lap later and Alonso was back in third.

Barrichello retired on lap 42, bringing to an end a season which was also sad for Honda, which achieved its first victory last year but was almost always near the back of the grid this year.

At the front, Raikkonen had now closed in on Massa after a mistake by the Brazilian. They were more than 30 seconds ahead of Alonso.

Hamilton was in the points after Coulthard dashed into the pits. But the Briton still had another pitstop to do.

Massa came in for his second stop on lap 50 and Raikkonen, now in the lead, gave it his all in an effort to emerge in front of his team-mate. He came in on lap 53. It was a quick one and he emerged in front. Not that anybody was surprised! Meanwhile Alonso who had also come in for a stop was now in fifth. Raikkonen now had to hold on for the remaining 20 laps to be crowned champion.

Kubica was now third. Rosberg went in for a stop, and Alonso moved to fourth.

Hamilton came in for his third stop from eighth position, slipping to ninth behind Coulthard. He quickly regained eighth but needed another three positions to get the crown!. On lap 60 Hamilton set the fastest lap of the race so far but Trulli in seventh was quite some distance ahead. Would he achieve mission impossible!

Alonso was now in third, Kubica having gone into the pits.

Trulli, meanwhile, went into the pits and Hamilton was now in seventh with five laps to go.

Rosberg and Kubica were fighting wheel to wheel for fourth position. A retirement by both could decide the championship for Hamilton.

But it was not to be, and Raikkonen had achieved his miracle, finishing first and being crowned champion in just his first year at Ferrari after coming second twice with McLaren. He is a worthy champion, also having won most races in this season.

Massa came in second, Alonso third and Hamilton seventh, a bitter end for the rookie Briton who had led the championship since May.

Raikkonen wins the championship with 110 points and McLaren's Alonso and Hamilton tied at 109.

Ferrari have won the Constructors and Drivers' championship.

Thus ends an amazing Formula One season.