Grand Prix 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

So it all comes down to the final race. The prancing horse versus the charging bull. The passionate Catalan versus the efficient German. Red versus Blue. Enough of the clichés, Vettel has a 13 point lead over Alonso going in to the race between the lakes so only has to finish in front of the Spaniard to claim his third title in a row. All the pressure will be on Ferrari and Alonso to give the Spaniard his third title and they probably need something to go wrong at Red Bull to stand any chance of winning, if their pace in the USA was anything to go by.

After his victory in the USA Lewis Hamilton will be hoping to leave McLaren on a high note. Lotus, surely, would love a second victory in 2012 but as fast as the car is it can't compete with the top 3 teams. Felipe Massa is starting to regain some of his old form and will, without doubt, be required to ride shotgun to Alonso. Mark Webber will be looking to win again at Interlagos but I doubt Vettel will suffer similar "brake" problems as he had last year.

The constructors championship is all sown up with Red Bull champions again. McLaren could steal 2nd place from Ferrari but a stronger performance from Jenson Button is needed in Brazil. Last year he was 3rd, two McLaren men in the top 4 could win them a few extra millions from FOM.

The final factor to build in is the weather. Brazil is notorious for changeable weather conditions and a sprinkling of rain could turn things Alonso's way. So tune next Sunday for the final event of 2012, but before then feel free to express your opinions below and don't forget to check out the circuit write up.

http://cliptheapex.com/pages/autodromo-jose-carlos-pace-interlagos/

 

[mnmracer]

The Artist.....
A more interesting question is, how do you reckon Vettel should have seen Senna there?
He looks in his mirrors, and sees di Resta plenty far behind that he can take the normal line.
Do you really think there is any way Vettel could have seen Senna?

 

[The Artist.....]

On the first lap of a Grand Prix, going through fast corners, you CANNOT assume that there is no-one alongside you! That is precisely what Vettel did - he ignored the possibility that there may well be someone alongisde. He may well not have seen Senna, but that's still not an excuse for turning in to him! All I'm saying is that if a driver sliding on a piece of tarmac into another driver because of loss of traction deserves a penalty, then so does turning into another driver because you didn't see them! I suppose the car insurance test is always one that is worth applying... Would Vettel have been held to blame if he had moved across on another car like that on the motorway.....

 

[Vortex]

Rather than Senna being along side Vettel when they began breaking for the corner it looked to me that Senna was about 3 or 4 positions behind Vettel when they all entered the breaking zone and Senna braked too late and came shooting up the inside passing 3 cars before going into the side of Vettel who had no idea Senna was there.

 

[teabagyokel]

I can't see how you can blame Vettel for that incident, it was Senna plain driving into him!

 

[Porceliamone]

Yeah, I expect much more moaning next year, with screwups at Mercedes or about how bad the car is.

Oh god. You're right. It can get worse.

 

[Dizzi]

I think Senna/Vettel & Hulkenburg/Hamilton were both racing incidents & s someone said this is racing & stuff happens.
However if you reversed the positions I bet Senna would have been given a penalty for 'taking out' Vettel.
Goes without saying Lewis would have been given a penalty.
That's where the real inconsistency lies, the perceived impression that some drivers are worth more than others.
Slippery slope...

 

[The Artist.....]

I can't see how you can blame Vettel for that incident, it was Senna plain driving into him!

I can see your point of view - but you still have to question the wisdom of going from the far right of the track to the far left on the opening lap, at a corner where people often go in 2/3/4 abreast on the first lap!

 

[teabagyokel]

The Artist..... - I suppose. Anyway, what does it matter, really?

 

[mnmracer]

The Artist.....
But that's the thing, Senna was not besides him when he turned in.
When he turned in, the only one near him was Kimi in his rallycar and di Resta far enough behind.

 

[Ejike]

I can see your point of view - but you still have to question the wisdom of going from the far right of the track to the far left on the opening lap, at a corner where people often go in 2/3/4 abreast on the first lap!

Grosjean moved from far left to far right in Spa. We know the result of that.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Regardless of driver....... a car coming from the extreme right of the circuit to the apex of a left-hander will always encounter several other vehicles in its path on the opening lap. This has been an act worthy of sanction all season.

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

Regardless of driver....... a car coming from the extreme right of the circuit to the apex of a left-hander will always encounter several other vehicles in its path on the opening lap. This has been an act worthy of sanction all season.

Suffice to say, dropping to last with what could have been terminal car damage was penalty in itself...

Another great wet Interlagos race... worthy title decider... even with a 50/50 safety car call...

I feel for both LH and NH ... I think they had the top 2 places sewn up ... it would have been a fine LH win and even finer NH 2nd ...

 

[KekeTheKing]

Suffice to say, dropping to last with what could have been terminal car damage was penalty in itself...

He was only 12 seconds off the lead at the end of the 2nd Lap, P11 after Lap 6, and back in Championship winning position after Lap 7. I'm not saying he should have been handed a drive through for an infinitely worse transgression than Hulkenberg, I'm just saying that the first lap incident wasn't all that devastating for him.

 

[mnmracer]

It doesn't mean he didn't drive one hell of a race.
Most of the hailed comebacks involve passing 10 backmarkers, 6 midfielders and then maybe 3 top cars (if they don't jump them in the pits), yet I see no one questioning Kimi's 2005 comeback in Suzuka.

 

[Slyboogy]

Look how close Raikkonen and Schumacher got.

The Iceman vs The Maestro:

 

[Slyboogy]

Kimi dreading that Michaels leaving, as he will probably shit his pants.

Love Alonso'sand Maldonado's response!

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

He was only 12 seconds off the lead at the end of the 2nd Lap, P11 after Lap 6, and back in Championship winning position after Lap 7... ...I'm just saying that the first lap incident wasn't all that devastating for him.

Quite. In fact, it was a lot more devastating for Bruno Senna.

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

Apologies if already posted... if Vettel had been in the middle of the corner I still think Bruno would have impaled him... he went in way too hot... eyes bigger than his brakes.... got a little opportunistic and greedy...

0:50s +

 

[The Artist.....]

he went in way too hot

Personally, I disagree (But you probably knew I was going to say that!) - Senna is making it round the corner until he gets hit...

However, I think Vettel's case would be simply that he was blocking off Di Resta, and had no idea that Bruno was down there!

 

[sushifiesta]

I agree that Senna went in a bit too hot, although I think he would have made the corner and he wasn't massively locking up or anything.

In Vettel's case, I do think from that camera angle you can see that he very nearly got himself in to an accident with three different cars at that corner. Kimi had to take avoiding action (either Kimi was too late on the brakes or Vettel was too early on the brakes), Vettel cut across who I think is Di Resta and that also looks very close to a front wing being lost/a rear puncture and then eventually the Senna incident. I don't think he was anticipating anyone trying to get past him, let me put it that way.

I would put it down as a racing incident overall, there are aspects of it that are clumsy from both drivers. Vettel's drive from that point on was very good.