Grapevine: Straw Poll: Sunday at Shanghai

It may not have been the most dramatic or memorable of Grands Prix, but you can bet that one person found the Chinese Grand Prix exciting.

Not so much for the on-track action as for the implications of the result, for Lewis Hamilton took a giant stride towards the world championship with what was as good as a lights-to-flag fifth victory of the season.

Felipe Massa's second place at least kept the title race alive to the finale at the Brazilian Grand Prix in two weeks, as well as ensuring a pleasing symmetry as it meant that Hamilton heads to Interlagos with a seven-point lead over the lead Ferrari driver, just as in 2007. All things considered, a "boring" race was just what Hamilton needed.

Once Fernando Alonso had fought his way past the second McLaren of Heikki Kovalainen - who would later suffer a puncture and then lodge a precautionary retirement - on the first lap, the top four was effectively static (no one ever doubted the Ferraris would change places).

And in the absence of drama, all you could do is sit back and be impressed with a very calm drive under pressure from the race leader.

While Hamilton revelled in his success, Massa agreed that the race was not the most exciting ever witnessed, especially coming off the back of four consecutive Grands Prix of action, drama, intrigue and surprise in Belgium, Italy, Singapore and Japan.

"I think the race today was not very exciting, to be honest," said the Brazilian after the race. Given the most dramatic thing that befell him was being let past teammate Kimi Raikkonen for second with seven laps to go, you believe him. Even the attempts to stir up some kind of team orders controversy fell on deaf ears.

No one had a serious problem with Ferrari's switch, least of all McLaren boss Ron Dennis or Hamilton himself. "In my position, if Heikki was leading, we would probably do the same thing," said Hamilton.

Less convincing was Massa's insistence that although his drivers' championship chances had taken a hit, he was happy about the Scuderia extending their constructors' lead to a potentially decisive 11 points.

"For the drivers' championship it was not so fantastic but for the constructors' it is very good," said Massa. "It is very important to fight for the constructors' and it was good thinking of that."

And you can be sure that it will be Ferrari' strong position in the constructors' that will be on Felipe's mind rather than is drivers' title setback. As the forklifts hurtled around the paddock on Sunday night ready to package the F1 circus for transit, you can bet that, like Massa, Hamilton was fretting about the constructors' title...

But of course, the constructor's title only becomes really important if you don't win the drivers' crown. And it certainly looks like, in Brazil, there's every likelihood that it will be Hamilton and Ferrari who prevail.