As any F1 fan knows, championships can be decided in mere moments. One driver who experienced this firsthand was Timo Glock, who, at the 2008 Brazilian GP, became the unexpected protagonist in a race that defined the title with one of the sport’s most controversial moments.
Heading into the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, Lewis Hamilton led the drivers’ standings with 94 points for McLaren. Seven points behind was local favorite Felipe Massa, Ferrari’s top title contender.
The scenario was simple: if Massa won the race and Hamilton finished sixth or lower, the championship would go to the Brazilian. But the decisive moment of the race didn’t come from Massa or even Hamilton, but Glock, who had to be escorted by the police after the race.
How Glock’s decision helped Hamilton win the title
In his second full season in Formula 1, Glock was driving for Toyota in 2008, unaware that a late-race decision would make him the center of controversy. While Massa secured the race win, Hamilton was in a tense battle for fifth place with Sebastian Vettel in the final lap—on a rain-soaked track.
Late in the race, heavy rain forced most drivers to switch to wet-weather tires. Glock was one of the only ones who stayed out on slicks, hoping to hold his position. With just two laps to go, the worsening conditions made his Toyota nearly undrivable. He had built up a big gap earlier by staying out, but as the track became slicker, he started dropping positions quickly.
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At that moment, Vettel was ahead of Hamilton, meaning Massa was on track to win the title. But in the final corners, both Vettel and Hamilton passed Glock, who had no grip left to fight back. That last-second move gave Hamilton the fifth-place finish he needed to become world champion—just a single point ahead of Massa.
The aftermath and Glock’s response
The dramatic finish led to one of the most famous calls in F1 commentary history, with Martin Brundle exclaiming, “IS THAT GLOCK?!” as Hamilton crossed the line to take the title. Ferrari fans and the Brazilian crowd, stunned that Massa had lost at the very last moment, quickly turned their frustration toward Glock, accusing him of letting Hamilton through.
Years later, Glock addressed the controversy, telling Planet F1 in 2021: “People still think I did it on purpose. I’ve seen comments saying they’d love to hear how I explained to Felipe [Massa] that I left the door open for Lewis [Hamilton].”
Glock at the Shanghai Grand Prix in 2011 (Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
He explained what really happened: “I was on the radio with my team, telling them I couldn’t survive those last two laps. They told me I couldn’t pit because the box was blocked. Everyone was going crazy because, at that moment, Massa was about to become champion.”
Glock’s return to racing in 2025
Despite the backlash, Glock continued his racing career, earning a podium finish with Toyota in 2009. He stayed in F1 until 2012, driving for Virgin and Marussia before moving to other motorsport series, most notably the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), where he raced until retiring in 2021.
Now, at 43, Glock is making a comeback. He’ll return to professional racing in 2025, competing in the German touring car series with Dorr McLaren—the same manufacturer that, years ago, indirectly benefited from his unforgettable moment at Interlagos.
