Local fans hadn't celebrated a Brazilian victory at Interlagos since 1993 when three-time champion Ayrton Senna took the checkered flag.

``I'm sure after today's victory my life will change a lot, especially in Brazil,'' Massa said. ``Brazilian people love Formula One, and hopefully I can give them a lot more good results like today.''

Massa pumped his fist several times as he crossed the finish line. He picked up a Brazilian flag and waved it to the fans while returning to the pits. There, he jumped into the arms of Ferrari team members.

``It is a dream come true,'' Massa said.

The 25-year-old dominated the race at the 4.3-kilometre circuit, easily winning from the pole. Renault's Fernando Alonso, who clinched his second consecutive world title, was second, followed by Honda's Jenson Button, and Massa's teammate Michael Schumacher.

``It was the easiest race of my life, I have such an incredible car,'' Massa said. ``When you have a good car, everything is easier.''

It was Massa's second career win. His first was in Turkey two months ago. It was his sixth podium finish this season.

The result secured him a third-place finish in the championship, behind Alonso and the retiring Schumacher. Massa entered the race with a one-point lead over Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella, and a nine-point lead over McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, his teammate next season.

Rubens Barrichello, the other Brazilian in Sunday's race, previously came closest to the home win while driving for Ferrari, finishing third two years ago in his best result in 12 tries. Barrichello was seventh on Sunday driving for Honda.

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RENAULT REPEAT: Renault enjoyed double celebrations on Sunday when Fernando Alonso claimed the drivers' championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix and led the British team to a second consecutive constructors' title.

Alonso's second place and Giancarlo Fisichella's sixth were enough to hold off second-place Ferrari.

Renault ended the year with 206 points, five more than the Italian team, which had Felipe Massa winning Sunday's race and Michael Schumacher finishing fourth.

Renault last year won its first constructors' title since debuting in 1977 at the British Grand Prix. The team won 33 of 211 races. The first win came in 1979 at the French Grand Prix.

Next year, the team will be without No. 1 driver Alonso, who will be moving to McLaren. This year's test driver, Heikki Kovalainen, will start in 2007 beside Fisichella.

Nelson Piquet Jr., son of former three-time Formula One champion Nelson Piquet, will be the team's test driver.

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FROM GREAT TO GREAT: Pele paid tribute to retiring seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher with a trophy presentation before Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix.

The soccer great gave a signed trophy to Schumacher in honour of his achievements. The Ferrari driver ended his 16-year career with a fourth-place finish in the Brazilian GP.

The presentation took place just before the race, on the starting grid of the Interlagos race track. Pele hugged and congratulated Schumacher before handing him the trophy.

``I told him I was happy he was retiring at the top of his form, like it happened with me,'' Pele told local media. ``It was an honour to represent millions of fans from around the world and pay this tribute to him.''

Schumacher, whose 91 victories is the most in Formula One history, had an outside chance of clinching his eighth title. He needed to win the race and hope Renault's Fernando Alonso failed to finish eighth or better. Alonso was second, and Schumacher fourth.

Pele was part of a fiasco at the 2002 race, when he was distracted as Schumacher came down the final stretch to win. Pele only got the checkered flag into his hands in time to wave it as the following cars crossed the line.

In 2003, Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen waved the flag with no incidents.

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FAREWELL: The Brazilian Grand Prix marked the last Formula One race for tire maker Michelin, which is leaving the series after 13 seasons.

Next year Bridgestone will be the sole tire maker in Formula One.

It was Michelin's 216th grand prix. The first was in 1978, at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro.

Michelin won that race with Carlos Reutemann's Ferrari.

The company leaves the series with 102 victories. It participated in the last six Formula One seasons.