ROME - FERRARI president Luca di Montezemolo has paid tribute to Lewis Hamilton after the British star denied Brazilian Felipe Massa the Formula One world title.

McLaren's Hamilton claimed the title by a single point following a dramatic Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos on Sunday, where the 23-year-old overtook Timo Glock on the very last corner of the last lap to claim the fifth position he needed to become world champion.

Ferrari's Massa won the race in front of his home fans but was left heart-broken after initially believing he had won the world title - when he finished his race, Hamilton was still in sixth place.

'I want to congratulate Lewis Hamilton, the youngest world champion in the history of Formula One,' said Mr di Montezemolo.

'He was an incredibly tough competitor and he fully deserved his victory... Next year he will have the number 1 on his car but there's one thing we can be certain about: we'll do everything we can to have this number back on a Ferrari.'

Mr Di Montezemolo also had a word of commiseration for Massa, who came so close and whose family and mechanics had actually started to celebrate the title victory before Hamilton's late drama.

'I can't imagine to what extent that moment must have been painful for him but I want to congratulate him nonetheless, not just for what he did on the track, dominating in front of his fans and showing that he's a driver who deserves the world title, but also for his maturity and his sportsmanship.

'He's a great champion and a great man.'

There was a silver lining to Ferrari's cloud, though, as they won the constructors title once again.

'To have won this title for the eighth time in 10 years is a result that has no equal in collective sport on a world level and demonstrates what an extraordinary group we are,' added the president. -- AFP