Lewis Hamilton made history Sunday, becoming the youngest—and the first black driver—to win the Formula One World Championship, a sport long dominated by whites.

“My heart was in my mouth. I was almost exploding. I don’t know how I kept my cool.� It was the toughest race of my life,” Lewis Hamilton, 23, said, according to the Telegraph. His doubly historic victory – he is Formula One’s first black champion in addition to its youngest – was a last-minute upset that robbed Felipe Massa, his closest competitor, of the dream. Rain late in the Grand Prix bumped Hamilton to sixth, after he stopped to change to dry tires. He needed fifth to win the championship.� Massa had come in first, and as his fans began to celebrate premature victory, Timo Glock, the fifth place contender, struggled up the last hill before the finish line, and Hamilton overtook him to win the world championship over Massa by a single point. To his credit, Massa took the loss gracefully. “Hamilton did a great job all year,” he said, “He is a worthy champion.”

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China in his hands: Hamilton crosses the line for victory at the Shanghai circuit

McLaren Racing, which currently has around 550 employees, is the company behind Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. It was formed in 1980 following the merger of Team McLaren and Project Four, Ron Dennis’ racing company. McLaren has competed in Formula 1 since 1966 and is One of the most successful Formula 1 teams with 155 Grand Prix wins. The team has also claimed eleven Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championships and eight Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship.

Operating in the highly competitive and technological environment of Formula 1, McLaren Racing comprises a multitude of administrative and engineering departments, ranging from vehicle design and aerodynamics, to materials science and paint shop.

Full name: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
Base: Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom
Team principal/s: Ron Dennis
Engineering Director: Paddy Lowe
race drivers: 22.Lewis Hamilton
23.Heikki Kovalainen
Test drivers: Pedro de la Rosa
Gary Paffett
Chassis: McLaren MP4-23
Engine: Mercedes-Benz FO 108V
tires: Bridgestone

Formula One World Championship Career

Debut: 1966 Monaco Grand Prix
Latest race: 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix
Races competed: 631
Constructors' Championships: 8 (1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998)
Drivers' Championships: 11 (1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999)
race victories: 156
Pole positions: 134