Not only did he become the youngest-ever F1 World Champion – beating the record previously held by former team-mate Fernando Alonso by 122 days – but Hamilton also replaced Damon Hill as Britain's latest title-winner twelve years on from when the British Racing Drivers' Club President had claimed the laurels, in addition to breaking new ground as the sport's first black driver to clinch the honours and delivering the crown back to McLaren for the first time since Mika Hakkinen triumphed just before the turn of the Millennium.

Moreover, it repaid Ron Dennis' faith in him, after the now nine-time grand prix winner had gone up to the Woking-based outfit's team principal as an eleven-year-old karter back in 1996 and told him that one day he would drive for him. Less than three years later, Hamilton had been signed up to McLaren's Young Driver Development Programme – and the rest, as they say, is history.

“It's such an amazing achievement for myself, my family and my team,” he enthused. “[McLaren] have worked so hard for so many years and they haven't had a championship for so long. To be the one that gives them that championship is a real honour.

“It's been a long journey in which I had the support of many people. My team did a fantastic job during the entire year and we sacrificed ourselves lot. I am happy for having achieved this for all of us.

“It's a fairytale story that he (Dennis) gave me that opportunity years ago and he had the foresight to bring me in and groom me to get to this position. I've grabbed it with both hands and I've paid him back. I've paid him back in full.”

Understandably distraught afterwards, Massa could barely control his emotions in parc fermé and up on the podium – knowing he had done all he could and yet still missed out. Dignified in defeat, however, the 27-year-old truly came of age this year, and his day will surely come.

“Unfortunately we missed by one point, but that's racing,” reflected the São Paulista. “They kept saying, 'Wait a second'. When I was getting to turn three, they said '[Hamilton] passed Glock'.

“The race was just perfect; we did everything just fantastically. We need to be proud.”