27.10.09



I like the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, a lot. It’s not like the recent batch of featureless grey walls or impossible-to-overtake tracks. Take three years ago, I have wonderful memories of watching Schumacher’s last GP at this track when I was in the company of FOC President Jack Sears and other Anglian racers at a local Area Group meet.

Michael started in tenth, got a puncture and still tore his way through the field to finish fourth. We were meant to have a meal whilst watching but that had to be reheated later. The track is reminiscent of Spa, you can see lots of it, it's fast, a whole load of fun, it can always rain unexpectedly and overtaking is possible. Last year, of course, we had the nail-biting climax to the Championship where Lewis nicked it from Honorary Anglia Group Member Felipe Massa. By the way, it was great to see Felipe out again in an F1 car, albeit an F2007.

Things are often decided in Brazil and Sunday would be no different, even though this was not the last race. If our lad Button got a podium the Championship was his and we would have the tenth British F1 Champion, but qualifying was a disaster with heavy rain turning the track into a river.
It’s worth spending a little time reflecting on that, it’s highly debatable whether they should have been sent out, but such is the pressure of TV schedules. Despite this, Qualifying went on and was fully televised.

Button’s championship was threatened by both team mate Barrichello and Vettel, driving a Red Bull, a car that I was privileged to see in the making last winter. To cut an exciting story short, in Q1, Vettel was very cross about traffic and didn’t go through, along with Hamilton.

Q2 wasn’t much better, it was still pelting down with rain and we had another red flag. Alonso was down in 15th, but horror - Jenson ended up beside him in 14th after struggling on his extreme wets. In contrast Barrichello not only made it through to Q1 but ended up on pole as well, pleasing his home crowd no end! Kimi was down in eighth and Fisi dead last so maybe Badoer wasn't so bad after all.

The race itself was dry, seemingly destroying any hope that the weather could throw up some surprises in the running order. This look like being be very doubtful day for Button or Ferrari. Kimi did have an exciting day, but for the wrong reasons. After breaking a front wing against Webber's Red Bull, he was heading out of the pits behind the McLaren of Kovalainen, who happened to be towing half his fuel rig. Fuel spilled onto the Ferrari, catching alight from the heat and for a brief moment flames engulfed the car. Fortunately they went out just as quickly, Kovy stopped to get disconnected and all carried on.

Meanwhile, back with the racing, Button was doing some great overtaking, as were Vettel and Hamilton. New lad Kamui Kobayashi in the Toyota held Button up for a while trying to make a name for himself with some major blocking manoeuvres, but Jenson played it cool and got him with a nice bluff. In a battle for Japanese honour Kobayashi put the Williams of Nakajima onto the grass, he crashed, but Kobayashi survived.

Meanwhile, Rubens was streaking ahead, it looked as if nothing was going to stop him, but I was reminded that he very rarely does well here at his home track, often failing to finish and during a refuel Webber managed to overtake on his out lap and take the lead. The Brawn was slowing further, was it just heavy with fuel, damaged or had Barrichello gone off the boil? Kubica in the Williams got ahead of him and now Lewis was up his rear end. Rubens asked what had changed on the car and his race engineer reminded him that Lewis was light and that he ought to be capable of delivering the necessary lap times - in other words "There's nothing wrong - get on with it!".

Webber came out of his last refuel stop still in front and was nailing it. He had played his tactical cards superbly and went on to win, almost un-noticed. Somehow Kimi was now up in sixth, although we never really heard or saw how. Apparently the commentary on BBC 5 Live is so much better than the TV, and a combination of the two makes for a far more informative experience. I must try that for the last GP.

Incredibly, Jenson was now closing on his team mate. Hamilton nearly came a cropper in the pit exit when he lost the rear end, but managed to recover it in the confined space. Kimi changed to his super softs for the last stint and was doing well. After Button’s last pitstop he was in sixth and stuck behind Kovalainen, but would that be enough to get the championship? Then Rubens' front tyre went soft, a puncture apparently caused after a bump from Lewis’s overtaking manoeuvre. His Interlagos jinx had struck again and Lewis lost another friend in the pitlane. Also, this made things much worse for him in Brazil where he wasn't exactly Mr Popular already after last year! Hamilton ended up third and McLaren slipped into third place in the Constructors ahead of Ferrari.

With Barrichello eighth and Vettel fourth this wouldn’t give either enough points to threaten Button if he finished where he was. I then saw a rare view of Fisichella’s Ferrari when he was overtaken by Kobayashi, driving a great first race for Toyota and finishing ninth. He was a bit dangerous at times, but impressed most of all the rookies drafted in this year.

So for the third time in a row, Brazil decided the Championship(s). Felipe waved the chequered flag over Jenson and it was great to see a Brit crowned for the second year running, long may it continue! [Andrew obviously means in the absence of a viable challenge from Ferrari. Mind you, I must admit I have enjoyed Brawn's success - Ed.]Brawn GP's has been the most astonishing story. When Honda announced their withdrawal last December, their future looked very uncertain. After no buyer came forward, Honda honourably "sold" the team to Ross and gave them a year's grace financially; you have to contrast their behaviour with the craven way in which BMW has behaved over Sauber.

The Brackley boys and girls converted their new car to Mercedes-Benz (Northants Division) power in next-to-no time and stunned the F1 world with its immediate pace, scoring a 1-2 in the first GP in Australia. Button then went on to win five of the next six races. The car wasn't always quickest, but Ross showed that he had lost none of his flair for strategy and Button showed he was able to deliver on pace and in overtaking when called upon to do so.

The cold of Silverstone indicated the start of a bad spell for Button, where after his team mate did a much better job, winning twice. Luckily for Button, the opposition was fractured with Vettel, Webber, Hamilton and Raikkonen all winning too. Crucially, Button kept scoring and crawled slowly and painfully towards the Championship. Questions began to be asked about his worthiness to be Champion, had he just been in the right car at the right time?

His performance in Brazil showed that he is worthy, particularly his brave and skilful pass of the inexperienced and over-excited Kobayashi. Mind you, just imagine what Michael would have done with that car! Rubens showed great pace at times, but his misfortunes, mistakes and inconsistencies over the year showed why he will never be more than a good Number 2.

Meanwhile, with the news that Donington has failed in its latest attempt to raise the money for the British GP and a fight between Bernie and Silverstone certain, we move on to somewhere far more compatible with Bernie's vision of the future. A Far Eastern government subsidised event at a Tilkedrome in a country with no motorsport tradition or popular support for the sport.

Finally, I see that ex Ferrarista Jean Todt, the architect of the Scuderia's success in the Schumacher era, won the election to be the next President of the FIA. Let us hope he does as good a job there, brings peace to F1 and protects the traditional venues.

Click here for FIA lap chart.