Arguably the most dramatic end to a world title race in Formula One history culminated in Lewis Hamilton becoming the sport's youngest world champion.
As thunder boomed over Interlagos, and on a track becoming wetter by the second in the closing laps, Hamilton was on the verge of missing out.
Running in sixth and with title rival Felipe Massa running away with the expected race win, Hamilton's heart was about to be broken for a second time, as it was at this track a year ago.
But he can thank Toyota for taking the title as they failed to call in Timo Glock to take on wet tyres. With the German still on dry rubber and running in fourth at the time, he slowly started to drop back.
Just one kilometre from the conclusion of the Brazilian Grand Prix, and at the penultimate corner, Hamilton passed Glock to claim fifth place - and with it the title.
Sporting drama does not come any greater than that witnessed in Sao Paulo today, leaving Hamilton to join a pantheon of greats.
Half a century on and Lewis Hamilton today joined a venerated list of the finest motor-racing talent the country has produced.
To the names of Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Sir Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill, now add that of Hamilton.
At the age of 23 years and 301 days, Hamilton became the youngest driver to win the championship, beating the previous best mark set by bitter rival Fernando Alonso by 124 days.
Hamilton also became only the second driver to take the title in his second season, equalling Jacques Villeneuve's feat of 11 years ago.
Hamilton may have followed in the footsteps of Villeneuve on this occasion, but hopefully that is where the similarity ends as that remained the only crown the Canadian won despite his prodigious talent.
But there can be no doubt in reaching such a plateau, Hamilton has endured a rollercoaster ride like no driver before him. When he first entered the world of F1 it is fair to claim few other sportsmen made the kind of impact in their chosen field as the boy from Stevenage.
Take a look back at the legends over the years - Diego Maradona, George Best in football; Muhammad Ali in boxing; Tiger Woods with golf.
Did they blaze the kind of astonishing trail set by Hamilton in the first few months on their respective sporting scenes?
Even the most recent Formula One greats in Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna failed to command the kind of headlines written about Hamilton so early in their careers.
On the track, he took third place on his debut in Australia and followed it with second place in Malaysia and Bahrain, becoming the first driver in history to claim a podium position in his first three grands prix.
When Hamilton claimed second in Spain, it gave him the outright lead in the drivers' standings, the youngest ever to do so.
Coincidentally, he eclipsed the mark previously set by New Zealander Bruce McLaren - the man who founded the team Hamilton he drives for.
Another second followed in Monaco, before Hamilton then finally claimed the win he craved, taking the chequered flag in Canada.
But there was to be no title at the end of his rookie year, one in which McLaren were embroiled in the now infamous spy saga, and one which undoubtedly took its toll on Hamilton.
With two races remaining he held a 17-point cushion over Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, seemingly unassailable, but not so as he slid into the gravel in China before suffering a gearbox problem in Brazil.
Hamilton vowed the experience of such a turbulent year, especially behind the scenes, would ensure he returned a stronger driver and man.
He appeared to underline his remark with a season-opening victory in Australia, but then chinks started to appear in his armour.
In Bahrain he allowed a poor start to get to him and, rather than keeping his head, he lost it as a charge through the field ended with him running into the back of Alonso.
Hamilton stormed away from the circuit, barely speaking a word, and in that instant a different side to his normally affable demeanour and character was witnessed.
The past year has been a mixture of remarkable lows - running into the back of Raikkonen in the pit lane in Canada; the failed appeal to reclaim victory in Belgium; his first corner disaster in Japan.
But then there have been the spectacular highs - victory in Monaco, his triumph at a rain-lashed Silverstone, a pole-to-flag win in Germany and now the ultimate dream in winning the title.
Not bad for someone who just 13 years ago cheekily strode over to McLaren team principal Ron Dennis at an awards dinner and calmly mentioned he would one day like to drive for his team.
