F1 Brazil GP November 27, 2011
FORMULA 1 GRANDE PRÊMIO PETROBRAS DO BRASIL 2011
Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Interlagos
Formula One World Championship 2011 down the curtain this weekend in Sao Paulo's Interlagos circuit, scene of a Brazilian Grand Prix in which the only motivation will be to know who the runner-up title fight testimonial for which the Jenson Button (McLaren), Spanish Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) and Australian Mark Webber (Red Bull).
In addition, Germany's Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) will look to repeat victory at Interlagos last year, after a season that has dominated from start to finish and has consecrated in advance, since the Japanese Grand Prix as champion of the category .
With the championship decided, both drivers and constructors, the fight at Interlagos on Sunday will be for second place, between Button, Alonso and Webber, the three separated by 22 points.
Vettel, who at 24 is the youngest double world champion in Formula One, has been unattainable in this season that has been imposed with authority in 11 of the 18 Grand Prix starts, and try to recoup Sao Paulo its abandonment in Abu Dhabi, the first after 19 races across the finish line.
With 374 points, 119 more than Button, second place, the world champion can fatten their record at the close of the season, especially when it has to do with first places in the grid and number of wins.
Vettel, who in 2010 had to wait until the last Grand Prix to win his first world title in a duel to the final meters from Alonso, comes this time to Brazil with the second trophy in his pocket, but with bad taste that left him two weeks ago the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi, who left in the first round with a jab, his only retirement this year.
This abandonment left him without the option of calling this year's record for victories in a season. It is two of the absolute world record with thirteen, has since 2004 his compatriot Michael Schumacher. If he wins at Interlagos, will remain one.
Without the attraction of the fight for the title, the focus of the 71 laps José Carlos Pace in Interlagos, which are traversed in the opposite direction to clockwise, it will be for what they can do Button, Alonso and Webber for the final podium alongside Vettel.
The Sao Paulo circuit brings good memories to Spanish driver, who, despite not having ever won the Grand Prix of Brazil, said that test his two world titles in 2005 and 2006, when he raced with Renault.
The Spaniard, who won this year at Silverstone (UK) and has four second places this season, arrived in Brazil in the third place overall with 245 points, just ten less than Button, world champion in 2009.
But to be on the right of the podium, Alonso must win at Interlagos and hope that McLaren does not reach the top three.
Button, who has won this year in Canada, Hungary and Japan, also has four second places and the 255 points that adds a third place will suffice, no matter what Alonso do on Sunday to finish as runner-up.
Webber's is more difficult since his 233 points give only a mathematical chance to materialize, would have the kind of egregious setback of the two champions who scolded for second place.
The Australian, who in 2010 gave the title fight with Alonso, Vettel and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), world champion in 2008, this year has been far below the performance of his team-mate.
Although Red Bull is so powerful and reliable as that of Vettel, Webber is slow to start and has gone blank the season with two second place as best result.
Meanwhile Hamilton, who won in Abu Dhabi after winning their third victory in China and Germany, has 227 points that allow him to dream, at most, with third place on the podium.
The Brazilian Grand Prix is always an opportunity for the home drivers this year but not to give battle.
The overall best position is Felipe Massa (Ferrari), sixth with 108 points and far below the 2008 level when he won in Sao Paulo, yet he lost the title in the final seconds with Hamilton.
Rubens Barrichello (Williams) and Bruno Senna (Renault), whose best ranking this year was ninth with cars that get to aspire to get into the scoring zone.
Sessions Schedule:
Practice 1 (FP1) Friday 10:00
Practice 2 (FP2) Friday 14:00
Practice 3 (FP3) Saturday 11:00
Qualifying (QP) Saturday 14:00
Race Sunday 14:00
All times are local (GMT -3)
