Felipe Massa won the last French Grand Prix for a decade, taking the championship lead for the first time in his career.
Key Facts
- Race winner
- Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
- Number of laps
- 70
- Championship round
- 8th of 2008 F1 World Championship
- Pole position
- Kimi Räikkönen
- Margin of victory
- ~18 seconds
- Years until next French GP
- 10 (returned 2018)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Kimi Räikkönen started from pole and built a lead of six and a half seconds over teammate Felipe Massa by lap 30. Shortly before half distance, Räikkönen's right exhaust pipe broke, robbing his engine of power and allowing Massa to close the gap.
The 70-lap 2008 French Grand Prix was held on 22 June 2008 at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. Massa overtook the ailing Räikkönen on lap 39 and held his lead through the final pit stops to win, with Räikkönen second and Jarno Trulli third in a Toyota.
Massa's victory promoted him to the top of the World Drivers' Championship for the first time, two points ahead of Robert Kubica. Ferrari extended their lead in the Constructors' Championship to 17 points over BMW Sauber. The race proved to be the last French Grand Prix until 2018.