2008 Brazilian GP Preview
Hamilton and Massa in F1 Title Decider at Interlagos
The 2008 Formula 1 World Championship will be decided at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, venue for the Brazilian Grand Prix. After a convincing win in China McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton holds a seven point lead over his title rival Felipe Massa. Despite this, the Ferrari driver will be confident of winning on home soil. He won the Brazilian grand Prix in 2006 and dominated last year’s race until allowing his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen past. The gesture allowed Raikkonen to take a surprise championship victory as Hamilton and McLaren faltered.
History of the Brazilian GP at Interlagos
The Interlagos circuit is one of the oldest on the Formula 1 calendar and unusual as it runs anti-clockwise, providing a stern test of driver fitness and endurance. The circuit hosted the first world championship Brazilian Grand Prix in 1973, a race which was won by local here Emerson Fittipaldi in a John Player Special Lotus.
It wasn’t until 1990 that Interlagos became the permanent venue for the race. In recent years it has hosted the final Grand Prix of the year but, for a long time, it was one of the early championship rounds. Alain Prost holds the record for most wins in the race, notching up six between 1982 and 1990. Prost’s great rival, Ayrton Senna, scored an emotional home victory in 1991, despite his car suffering from severe gearbox problems. He expended so much effort that he had to be helped from his McLaren.
2008 F1 Title Decider Between McLaren and Ferrari
While Massa and Ferrari are underdogs in the battle for the driver’s championship the Maranello team are strong favourites to clinch the constructor’s title in Brazil. Massa and Raikkonen finished second and third respectively at the recent Chinese Grand Prix. Although Hamilton won the other McLaren, driven by Heikki Kovalainen, retired. This means that Ferrari require just seven points at Interlagos to secure the crown.
Robert Kubica saw his world championship dream ended in China with a disappointing sixth place finish but he will be determined to hold onto his third position in the points table, where Raikkonen is only six points behind. Kubica’s BMW Sauber team still have an outside chance of depriving McLaren second place in the constructor’s table. McLaren hold a 10 point advantage going into the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix will provide an exciting climax to a controversial and unpredictable season. Hamilton will be hoping for better luck than he experienced at the same race last year, and trying not to stress his Mercedes engine, which will be used for its second Grand Prix. Massa, meanwhile, can only win the race and hope that something unexpected happens to his rival.
2008 Brazilian GP Facts and FiguresRace date: Sunday 2nd November, 2008
Race distance: 71 laps
Circuit length: 2.677 miles (4.309 km)
Circuit record: 1 minute, 11.473 seconds (Juan-Pablo Montoya, 2004)
Weather forecast: Friday - rain, Saturday - heavy rain, Sunday - rain and scattered thunderstorms
Felipe Massa wins 2006 Brazilian GP for Ferrari
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