Grand Prix 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

And so the F1 bandwagon roles south from Mexico and reaches Sao Paulo and the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. A final reminder of what a great F1 track looks like before the season reaches its final stop in yet another concrete utopia built in the vision of Herman.

I've made no secret of the fact that I love this track and in particular the first set of turns. Known as the 'Senna S' as any vaguely S shaped set of corners was named across the globe in Senna's honour, at least this set of turns gives credence to that title. Off the line, drivers are faced with a down hill left hand turn with a good deal of camber before switching to a right and change of camber then a long sweeping left. Unlike Mexico where you could take no part of a corner and come out quickly on the other side, here you tend to slither off down hill and keep going and going across a long grass field.

For the championship battle, Nico continues to do just enough to do enough for the title. This must frustrate the living daylights out of his team mate who, even though he is demonstrably quicker than Nico, has no control over his own fate should his team mate keep finishing second. Of course, should Nico win here then it's all done and dusted.

For Hamilton, this track remains one of very few on the list of circuits he's not yet beaten. It still holds special memories of course as it is the place where he thrillingly tied up his first World drivers crown and few can forget that moment. There's no reason at all why he can't win here this weekend and keep the pressure on Rosberg but even over the last few years when Hamilton has been at his absolute best in terms of pace and driving, Rosberg has managed to win this GP twice. This year it has to be win or bust for Hamilton.

All the focus will be on the two silver cars at the front of the grid so instead of looking at the rest of the field, pretending I'm some sort of F1 reporter and trying to review and predict the outcomes down the grid, I'm actually going to focus on one driver.

For one driver on the grid, the other man on that fateful day for Hamilton, this track certainly holds mixed feelings. For the 15th and final time, Felipe Massa will be taking to the grid at his home GP. A native of Sao Paulo this has always been a homecoming for Felipe but with such a bitter taste. For around 30 seconds, before Hamilton pounced on a struggling Timo Glock, he was the 2008 World Champion. Joy turned to heartbreak in front of the worlds camera's. The first Brazilian to win his home GP since the late great Ayrton Senna had been denied the world championship in the space of a few hundred yards. You could point to his exit of the pit lane in Singapore towing half of his fuel rig behind him as the moment he lost the championship, or the moment a few races later when he was comfortably leading when his engine let go with just 3 laps left, but neither will be remembered as much as that Brazilian race.

And so it passed that Brazil 2008 was the final win of Massa's career. His performance in 2009 was still strong but ended with an horrifying head injury in a freak accident. After that, I'm sure most will agree, he was never the same driver. Culminating in 'that message' at the German GP where he was reminded about the speed of his team mate. The fact that on that day, at that time, Alonso was faster than him is not the point, it's the fact that his friend and race engineer, Rob Smedley had to tell him of that fact in a not very coded message witnessed by the whole of F1, that was the hammer blow. The last few years at Williams have brought 5 podiums and 1 pole but this season, in the face of a poor car and falling points returns, he's decided to call time on his career.

So farewell Felipe baby, the 30 second world champion. When it comes to winning races, your name is on the same list as so many other great Brazilian drivers, you should be proud of a long, and on balance successful career in F1. It's slightly worrying that, as it stands, the only representative from Brazil on the grid next season will be Felipe Nasr. Somehow, I think it will be a few more years before a Brazilian driver emulates Massa, Senna, et al and stands on the top step of their home GP.

What ever happens this weekend, let's hope it's a great race.
 
Didn't Vettel come in for new boots in Austin just to take the fastest lap? Didn't Lucas di Grassi lose out on the last Formula E title as Buemi took pole in the last race?

All these things are an aside to the fact that Nico really needs to win this one to put an end to Lewis' title challenge. The question is will he have the balls to go for it?
 
Really!!!! is a wet race too much to ask for? :please:

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I can see a Red Bull win at this one. Partly because I think they are coming on strong and partly because I think both title contenders have too much to lose.

Of course in an ideal world it would be a Massa win. I wonder if this miracle did happen whether he'd bother to drive in Abu Dhabi. I know I would't.
 
You know for Mercedes I 'd be worried Red Bulls were starting right behind them ..the track on the left hand side of the grid usually has less grip so you really want to be either 1st or 3rd on the grid to get a good run down the hill

Red Bull have been gambling on using the most softest set in order to gain a position at the start and so far they've not quite got it right but it will eventually
 
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Love interlagos, normally get some fantastic racing. Im still expecting a final twist, as its just how sport is. Just cant see it being won in a low key way. Apparently its dry weekend so now famous brazil rain but after lewis 2008 is probably grateful. Nerves were shredded

Rosberg will still be a worthy champion if he wins. Because he got the most points. Hate to say it but like they say in football 'league table never lies', just like Leicester no one ever said they got lucky. They just took advantage of big clubs major problem & won in a perfect storm of situations

In the same way nico has with his perfect storm. He's not the fastest driver but nicos raised his game. Had some luck & took advantage of lewis bad luck also bad judgement
Australia/Bahrain - clutch problems
China - came together with nasr thaf ruined his Race
russia - Water Pressure problem stopped him unable to continue close the gap
Malaysia - engine blown

As hinted at above Thats why as much as i like lewis its 21 race season & not 4 race season. The damage was done earlier
 
Sounds like Williams are getting desperate for something to go their way. The only problem is that it could blow up in their face.
 
Suddenly the madness of F1 seems healthy and wholesome. I'm glad to be reading opinions and facts about our sport and it's political madness. I don't think we will cause a world war.
 
Oh no. Just not about politics.
The hysteria in the media is filled with conspiracy theories and fakes.
How would be desirable to have an site-island with a discussion only F1.
 
Ferrari asking for review of Vettel's penalty in Mexico

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Ferrari has submitted a request for Sebastian Vettel's penalty at the Mexican Grand Prix to be reviewed after "a number of new elements" came to light.

Vettel was penalised for dangerous driving while defending position from Daniel Ricciardo on lap 70 in Mexico, effectively stripping him of a podium finish and demoting him to fifth. The penalty was issued three hours after the race -- following a penalty for Max Verstappen for exceeding track limits -- resulting in the unusual situation whereby Verstappen finished third on the road, Vettel picked up the trophy on the podium and Ricciardo was classified third in the final results.

Ferrari claimed the podium had been taken away by "bureaucracy" after the race, and on arrival in Brazil for this weekend's grand prix released a statement asking the stewards to review their decision.

"Scuderia Ferrari has submitted a request to the Stewards of the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix to review their decision to penalize Sebastian Vettel for breach of Article 27.5 of the 2016 Formula One Sporting Regulations as a consequence of his driving behaviour in Turn 4 of lap 70.

"This has been the first application of Article 27.5 of the 2016 F1 Sporting Regulations as interpreted on the basis of the Race Director's notes on "defensive manoeuvres" and effective from the 2016 US Grand Prix.

"Scuderia Ferrari considers that a number of new elements have come to light after the decision was rendered that make the decision reviewable under Article 14.1 of the International Sporting Code.

"Scuderia Ferrari is aware that championship rankings will not change, regardless of the outcome. But in light of its importance as a precedent for the future, and in order to provide clarity in the application of the rules in future events, Scuderia Ferrari believes that the decision should be reconsidered by the stewards."

The decision was penalised under what has become known as the 'Max Verstappen rule', an addition to the race directors' notes in Austin after several incidents where Verstappen defended position by moving under braking. Vettel was deemed to have squeezed Ricciardo to the inside of the corner as they were in the braking zone for Turn 4 and was penalised 10 seconds as a result.

Ferrari is appealing the decision under Article 14.1 of the FIA's International Sporting Code, which states: "If, in Competitions forming part of an FIA Championship, cup, trophy, challenge or series, a new element is discovered, whether or not the stewards have already given a ruling, these stewards or, failing this, those designated by the FIA, must meet on a date agreed amongst themselves, summoning the party or parties concerned to hear any relevant explanations and to judge in the light of the facts and elements brought before them."

The Ferrari statement did not explain what the "new elements" were, but if the appeal is accepted it is likely the stewards of the Brazilian Grand Prix will review the new evidence.

Second article here - 'What an idiot, man!'
 
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