21/10/2007
NEWS STORY
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OK, we'll leave the World Championship title battle aside for the time being and look at what else is at stake today.
Fist off, several drivers, most notably Ralf Schumacher and Giancarlo Fisichella have yet to find berths for 2008, while a number of other drivers' futures are 'on hold' as we await news of Fernando Alonso's plans.
Although BMW has secured runner-up spot in the Constructors' Championship, ahead of Renault, Williams only enjoys a four point lead over Red Bull, which has scored eight points in the last three races, as opposed to the Grove outfit's one. Another strong result from Toro Rosso could see the Italian team leapfrog Toyota, while Super Aguri will be keen to move back ahead of 'sister outfit' Honda. So today's race could see some significant changes to the Constructors' Championship, where points make prizes.
In the Drivers' Championship - no not the title battle - Heikki Kovalainen is five points behind Robert Kubica, while Scottish veteran David Coulthard is just one point behind Nico Rosberg.
A good finish could see Mark Webber move ahead of Alex Wurz, while Jenson Button will be hoping to fend off Vettel, Schumacher, Sato and Liuzzi, and thereby avoid repeating his worst championship finish ever (seventeenth in 2001).
Naturally, Felipe Massa will want to win his home race, his second successive victory here, however, greater forces are at work, for there is the little matter of that title fight.
We all know the permutations, and are therefore well aware that the man who has the most work to do today is Kimi Raikkonen, while Lewis Hamilton, in many respects, can only lose the title.
The sky is blue with barely a cloud so it is highly unlikely that the weather is going to play a part in the championship outcome. Instead, it will be down to strategy, courage, common sense, determination and maybe a little bit of luck.
After a season dominated by events off track, we are all hoping that the championship fight will end on a high today, with no silliness, by which we mean we hope that nobody will attempt to win the fight by resorting to 'dodgem car' tactics. That said, the first corner here at Interlagos is notorious, and it is usually the drivers in the midfield that cause the problems. Therefore, all eyes will be on the pack as it races away from the grid, for the title could be decided before the field reaches Curva do Sol. It's not what we want but these things happen.
Overtaking is possible here, and the fact that Felipe Massa is on pole may help Raikkonen, for a good start would allow the Brazilian to control the race. However, alongside the 2006 race winner is Hamilton, who is aware of every possible permutation.
In a season in which Ferrari has clearly missed Ross Brawn - if not Michael Schumacher - tyre strategy has sometimes paid off, and this is one race where it could be an advantage. Seemingly, the supersofts are degrading far earlier than expected, a situation brought about by the intense heat and the new tarmac surface. That said, all drivers face the same problem, it will come down to how they deal with it.
The eyes of the world are on Interlagos today, where Lewis Hamilton could make history not only by becoming the first rookie to win the title but also by becoming the youngest driver to win the title. Then there is the obvious fact that Hamilton would also be the first black driver to win the title. So not a lot of pressure on the Stevenage Rocket then.
It promises to be an entertaining, hopefully thrilling, afternoon. Let us hope that we have a fair fight and that the best man wins - whoever he might be, for each has thrilled us in his own way this season.
Let's also hope that the championship is decided once and for all today, and that we don't face months of legal challenges and WMSC appeals. Let us further hope that in 2008 we can put such nonsense behind us.
As the field prepares to head off on the warm up lap, the air temperature is 36 degrees C, while the track temperature is 63 degrees. As we aid earlier, the sky is blue with barely a cloud in the sky. However, that track temperature is sure to cause problems with the supersoft (soft) tyres.
Adrian Sutil, who suffered a fuel pressure in qualifying, is starting from the pitlane.
Most drivers appear to be starting on the harder compound as the grid takes shape.
They're away, Massa holds Hamilton but Raikkonen is unable to take advantage. However, the Englishman has other problems for Alonso is al over him. They appear to touch very lightly at Turn 4 and Hamilton goes wide losing a number of places.
However, on lap 2 there is an incident elsewhere, with Fisichella being hit from behind by Yamamoto. While Kovalainen goes off following a nudge from Schumacher. All three head for the pits, as does Liuzzi.
No safety car, merely waved yellow flags. Massa heads Raikkonen, as Hamilton is chasing sixth placed Heidfeld.
As Hamilton pursues Heidfeld, Raikkonen is just 1.1s behind his Ferrari teammate. In his eagerness to get by, the Englishman goes wide once again. However, at the start of lap seven in the Curva do sol Lewis makes his move and the German is unable to hold him.
As Raikkonen closes to 0.6s of Massa, with Alonso a further 4.2s behind, Hamilton is chasing Kubica, who is involved in his own battle with Webber. At the start of lap 8, the Pole passes the Australian but all eyes are on Hamilton who slows to a crawl. It sounds like an engine problem, and though he gets up to speed again he has dropped to eighteenth.
The English rookie doesn't pit, instead he stays out, at this point it clearly isn't a terminal problem.
After 9 laps, Massa leads Raikkonen, Alonso, Kubica, Webber, Heidfeld, Trulli, Rosberg, Coulthard and Vettel. However, Hamilton sets his own personal best lap as he pursues Barrichello, who has just served a drive-through for a jump start.
The stewards announce that Fisichella and Yamamoto are under investigation even though both drivers are out of the race.
After 12 laps, with a 7.7s comfort zone over Alonso, Raikkonen trails race leader Massa by 1.6s. Hamilton is up to sixteenth, 3.9s behind Schumacher. However, there is a whole gaggle of cars ahead of the German, which Hamilton will have to deal with.
As Hamilton makes short work of Schumacher and then Davidson, Webber is out, further reliability misery for the Australian.
The Ferraris are in a class of their own, Massa now 11.5s clear of Alonso, who is in turn 4.5s ahead of Kubica. Elsewhere, Hamilton passes Nakajima at the end of the pit straight to take eleventh. The McLaren driver's next target is Button, Britain's former 'golden boy'.
The Ferraris drivers are the first to dip into the 1:12s, almost 0.6s a lap quicker than Alonso.
At the end of lap 19, Kubica is the first driver to make a regular stop. A lap later it is Massa who pits, thereby handing the lead, and possibly the World Championship to Raikkonen, who responds with a new fastest lap (12.665).
Next time around it is Raikkonen who pits, rejoining in third behind his teammate. Alonso leads.
At the end of lap 21 Alonso pits, as Button retires, thereby leaving Hamilton to chase Vettel, who promptly pits. Next time around Hamilton pits, and surprisingly has the softs fitted.
Rosberg and Coulthard pit at the end of lap 23, which leaves Heidfeld as the last of the front-runners who has yet to stop.
After 24 laps, it's Mass, Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Alonso, Kubica, Rosberg, Coulthard, Nakajima and Sato. Hamilton is down in fourteenth following his pit stop. Elsewhere Sutil and Davidson collide, however the Englishman looks able to continue as he heads back to the pits with a damaged tyre.
At the end of lap 25, Heidfeld finally pits.
Raikkonen appears to be losing ground to Massa, a heavy fuel load, or some sort of problem? Elsewhere, Davidson has made it back to the pits, as has Sutil, though both are now under investigation.
As Hamilton, clearly struggling on the supersofts, moves up to thirteenth, courtesy of Sato's pit stop, Raikkonen is back on the pace, though he is now 3.7s down on Massa.
At the start of lap 30 Hamilton makes a brave move on Barrichello coming from (seemingly) miles back to take the Brazilian at the first corner.
Alonso is under serious pressure from Kubica, the Spaniard not really appearing to be on his best form today. Elsewhere, Barrichello pits, as does Sutil (again).
Hamilton is now on the tail of Vettel, who is all over Schumacher. The Toro Rosso driver will not be as easy as Barrichello. Meanwhile, makes a balls up of his first ever F1 pit stop, knocking over a couple of his mechanics like skittles.
As Hamilton lines up Vettel, the TV director cuts to Kubica who passes Alonso with apparent ease on the pit straight.
Hamilton finally passes Vettel and now sets off after Coulthard who is 10.1s up the road. Meanwhile, Sutil, has made three pit stops this afternoon, is given a drive-through for "causing a collision".
At the end of lap 36 Hamilton makes his second stop, rejoining behind the Ferraris, which are a lap ahead. However, Kovalainen crashes out after what appears to be a suspension failure. The yellow flags are waved as the Finn climbs (unhurt) from his car.
Third-placed Kubica pits at the end of lap 38, as Raikkonen closes to within 2.2s of the race leader. Vettel has joined the growing list of retirements, which already includes Fisichella, Yamamoto, Webber, Button and Kovalainen.
It's all over for Rubens Barrichello who has smoke and flames pouring from his car in the pits. His season is over, and the first time since he entered F1 in 1993 he has failed to score a single point.
When Coulthard pits on lap 43, it promotes Hamilton to eighth, though it is thought the Englishman will have to make another stop. Elsewhere, possibly falling asleep in the cockpit, Massa gives the Tifosi a heart stopping moment as he locks up and appears to drift off track. Phew!
After 45 laps, Raikkonen is now 0.8s behind Massa, with Alonso a further 33.4s down the road. The Spaniard has a 15.2s advantage over Heidfeld, who has Rosberg all over his tail.
After 49 laps, it's Massa, Raikkonen, Alonso, Heidfeld, Rosberg, Kubica, Trulli, Hamilton, Coulthard, Nakajima, Schumacher, Sato, Liuzzi and Davidson.
At the end of lap 50, Massa pits, and the softs are fitted. He rejoins in second. Hamilton has had his sting with the white-banded tyres, now his rivals will have their turn. Meanwhile, Raikkonen goes quickest in the middle sector as be begins his final assault on the race win, ands possibly the title.
At the end of lap 52 Alonso pits, as does Raikkonen. The Finn rejoins the race ahead of his teammate, the Finn has the race lead, and - at this stage - the 2007 title.
Rosberg pits at the end of lap 55, which promotes Alonso back to fourth, the Spaniard having slipped to fifth. Kubica is running third behind Raikkonen and Massa.
At the end of lap 56, Hamilton makes his third stop of the afternoon, and as the fuel pours in the title slips through his fingers. Other than that off and the engine glitch, McLaren's strategy hasn't helped the youngster.
Kubica pits at the end of lap 58, which promotes Alonso back to third place. Meanwhile, 'never-say-die' Hamilton posts the fastest lap of the race, thus far (12.506). The Englishman is running in eighth, 21.8s behind Trulli, who is having a great race.
Talking of great races. Rosberg and Kubica are having a great scrap for fifth, the Pole making a superb move on the German at Curva do Sol. Elsewhere, Coulthard spins after touching Nakajima. The Japanese driver promptly pits, as does Schumacher.
At the end of lap 64, Trulli pits, which moves Hamilton up to seventh. The Englishman's next target is Heidfeld who is 16s ahead.
With 6 laps remaining, it's Raikkonen, Massa, Alonso, Kubica, Rosberg, Heidfeld, Hamilton and Trulli. Raikkonen posts a new fastest lap (12.445).
Rosberg and Kubica are still enjoying a terrific fight, with the German now having the upper hand. Fantastic stuff from these two youngsters.
As Raikkonen begins his final lap, Massa goes quickest in the first sector, small comfort for the Brazilian if he takes the fastest lap.
The deed is done, Raikkonen takes the chequered flag, and with it the 2007 crown. Chris Dyer comes on the radio, "you've done it mate, Lewis finished seventh, by my calculations you've done it". And indeed he has.
Who would have believed it, only ninety minutes Hamilton had the title to lose, while who would have thought that McLaren would end the season with nothing.
The talk will continue throughout the off-season and probably for many years to come, however, let's not forget that this is Kimi's sixth win of the season. Had the Finn and his teammate enjoyed the sort of bullet-proof equipment available to Michael Schumacher, perhaps it would never have gone down to the wire in the first place.
Lewis will be gutted, but he has many, many years ahead of him. Yes he made a silly mistake at the start, but the race was lost when he suffered the engine glitch on lap 7, not to mention McLaren's extraordinary strategy.
As for Alonso, he wasn't in it, we barely saw him all afternoon, maybe he was concentrating on his job prospects for next season.
Nico Rosberg takes a fine fourth place having finally got the upper hand over Robert Kubica. Nick Heidfeld takes sixth, while Hamilton finishes seventh ahead of Trulli.
An amazing day of Turk Thrust proportions, as, against all odds, the outsider came through.
The good news is that there was no silliness, and hopefully the title is decided once and for all.
Now, as we look ahead to 2008, let's savour the fact that F1 has survived with out Michael Schumacher, and that we can already start to salivate over the prospects in store for us next season, no matter where Fernando Alonso ends up.
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