Elsewhere there were thinner pickings, and it was particularly cruel that having battled so hard for so long to keep in touch, Kubica lost third place in the final reckoning to Raikkonen, being overtaken by a driver who had rarely shone season-long – a clear sign that in the current age of F1, you are only ever as good as the machinery at your disposal.

As BMW fell evermore away from Ferrari and McLaren's pace over the second half of the campaign – even slipping behind Renault in the last few races – Kubica's frustration became palpable, as he was increasingly willing to criticise the team in public and began to suggest that the squad's efforts to help Heidfeld overcome his qualifying malaise had been at the expense of his own title ambitions. The way he un-lapped himself from Hamilton on the penultimate tour of the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos – in so doing very nearly losing the Briton the championship – was petulant indeed.

Whether BMW's focus on Heidfeld ultimately did cost the former World Series by Renault Champion the trophy is doubtful, but the Munich and Hinwil-based concern knows it must maintain the pace year-long in 2009 if the man with whom Dr Mario Theissen admitted 'the working relationship was not always easy' in 2008 is to be rather more placated second time around.


Tomorrow: Who did you vote fourth in the Driver of the Year poll?