What's at stake at Interlagos?

The Formula 1 teams have arrived in Brazil, which will host the final grand prix of the 2007 season. For several years now Sao Paulo has been the theatre of intense battles, and it was here that Renault clinched three of its 4 world titles in 2005 and 2006. Once again, it looks like being a thrilling weekend as three drivers are fighting for the crown.

One of the three will leave Brazil with the title in his pocket. Lewis Hamilton is four points in front of his team-mate, Fernando Alonso, and seven ahead of Kimi Raikkonen. Logically speaking the British driver is favourite, but his victory is not a foregone conclusion. First of all, he will have to cope with the pressure of a decisive race and secondly, decide on the right tactical approach: aggressive, careful or controlled? Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen know that a victory will not be enough because the ten points that go with it will have to be backed up by a poor performance on the part of their respective rivals. Their advantage is that they are both hunters and have less to lose than Lewis Hamilton. F1 statistics provide an interesting insight into this subject. Since 1950, in the eight decisive races with three drivers in the running for the F1 championship, the incoming leader has been crowned on only three occasions!

Since the Chinese Grand Prix the ING Renault F1 Team knows that Williams cannot catch it. In these conditions the stakes in the final race are not so critical, and the Anglo-French squad is preparing for it in a relaxed frame of mind. It knows that if track conditions permit it can demonstrate the progress made by the R27 in the recent past. Heikki failed to score points at Shanghai for the first time since the Nürburgring so he will be out to remedy this and finish in the first eight.

Red Bull Racing has not yet managed to overtake Williams in the constructors’ championship despite its recent very promising performances in Japan and China. Only four points now separate the two teams. In the last three races Red Bull Racing has scored eight points as compared to its rival’s three. So it is not mission impossible! Both drivers will have new V8s to take up this challenge. David Coulthard will have an additional one: namely, to finish the drivers’ championship in ninth place. At present he is tenth, just one point behind Nico Rosberg.

The Toro Rosso team’s recent performances have added extra spice to the constructors’ championship as the Italian squad scored eight points in China, and is now seventh, two points in front of Honda! The Japanese manufacturer will be out to turn the tables in Brazil; but is it capable of doing so?