F1's topsy-turvy season goes down to the wire

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Either Lewis Hamilton or Felipe Massa would be a worthy Formula One world champion, according to a number of the sport's experts.

A topsy-turvy season of mistakes from both title contenders has ensured there will be a last-race decider for the 25th time in F1's 58-year history, as well as a brand new champion.

No one driver has been able to dominate the year as title contenders have crashed, spun or had their team slip up on their behalf.

But the consensus in the paddock is that, with five wins each so far, McLaren's Hamilton and Ferrari's Massa can hold their heads up high regardless of the result of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix. Read more about F1 at The Circuit.

Red Bull Racing's David Coulthard, preparing for his final F1 race before retirement, told Britain's ITV Sport: "The pressure is on Felipe in that he has it all to do: he has to nail qualifying and he has to win, and even then that might not be enough.

"I think Massa is probably the most improved driver of the year. He's also suffered more reliability problems than Lewis has, so it would be difficult to say he doesn't deserve the championship.

"But equally Lewis has driven some extremely strong races and he's the real deal -- so either way we'll have a deserving champion."

Former McLaren driver turned commentator Martin Brundle reckons Hamilton has shown enough this year to be Britain's first world champion in 12 years -- but not by much.

"Lewis should have won last year and some of his drives this season have been almost beyond belief for potentially the youngest F1 champion of all time," he told ITV Sport.

"Felipe has put in some stunning drives. He's also had his share of lackluster performances, but he has stepped up to the plate when it matters and I wouldn't regard him as a lucky world champion by any means.

"In fact he's been unlucky with unreliability and pit stops, whereas Lewis has had reliability but somewhat more than his fair share of penalties.

"I think both of them would be worthy champions, but on balance Lewis deserves it more in my view."

Australian Mark Webber, Coulthard's Red Bull team-mate, also thinks Hamilton has shaded Massa in 2008, although he has been impressed by Robert Kubica's near-faultless year for BMW Sauber.

"Hamilton's had a very good season. I think the best driver probably is going to win the championship, and that's how it should be. He'll deserve it if he wins it," Webber wrote in his BBC Sport column.

"You could say, though, that Robert Kubica has been the driver of the year. He's probably been, at every single venue, the best and most consistent driver with the least errors.

"But, out of Hamilton and Massa, I'd say Lewis deserves the championship."