The championship battle between the Mercedes drivers might be over but as Formula 1 heads to Brazil for the penultimate race of the season,
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg will be fighting as hard as ever.
At the previous race in Mexico it was Nico who came out on top for the first time in four months with a victory so strong it seemed amazing that he hadn’t won since Austria in June. Last season it was also Nico who won comfortably while Lewis Hamilton spun in his efforts to catch him. So with current form and previous circuit results pointing to a Rosberg victory what can Hamilton do to win?
The now triple world champion has never won in Brazil in all eight of his previous attempts despite the circuit being exactly the type of track that Hamilton usually loves with it’s up and down nature, flat out sweeping corners and more tricky technical areas. Lewis did get the fastest lap last season but was unable to sustain that pace long enough for a win.
Felipe Massa is a good bet for at least a podium with the Brazilian usually finding success at his home race. His previous results include two wins and three podiums and it’d be brave to bet against him adding to his podium tally in this weekend’s race. With his team mate Bottas usually around his team mate’s pace this could be a good race for Williams although their third place in the constructors is a long way off Ferrari in second.
Ferrari could again spoil their party in Brazil, Sebastian Vettel has won at Interlagos twice and team mate Raikkonen won in 2007 on his way to that year’s title.
Fernando Alonso is another previous winner racing this weekend but he is unlikely to trouble the front runners this weekend with Mclaren Honda continuing their desperate struggle. Team mate Button hasn’t generally had that good a time at the track and this year is unlikely to be an exception with both cars likely to be towards the rear of the field, scoring points will be seen as a success with the days of winning here seeming a long way off. Mclaren are actually the most successful team in terms of Brazilian victories with their total of twelve two ahead of Ferrari’s ten wins and Williams six.
Red Bull have won four times at Interlagos but they two are struggling in 2015 although not quite as badly as Red Bull, a third place is likely to be their best hope but top ten finishes are the more realistic outcome.
Qualifying will be important as always but perhaps less important here with only around a third of the winners taking it from pole since the country first hosted a world championship Grand Prix back in 1973. (There was a race in Brazil in 1972 as well but it was a non-championship event.)
The circuit itself is dominated by the two long straights with a technical central section linking them. Top speed down the straights is important (Not good for Mclaren!) and so the cars will be set up to maximise this and will compromise their pace around the twisty bits. The track has historically always been bumpy but despite this the surface is usually non-abrasive meaning it’s a circuit that’s gentle on tyres. It’s likely teams will opt to use the softer compounds more.
Although it’s not tough on tyres, the circuit is very tough on the drivers with a combination of an unusual anti clockwise layout, several high speed corners, the bumps and an atmosphere that’s usually very humid. We’ve seen several drivers finish the race totally exhausted over the years with perhaps the most famous being Ayrton Senna in 1991 who had to be helped from the car after winning.
It’s a circuit where overtaking is relatively easy by Formula one standards. The most common spot is the first corner and the downhill section that follows as they head through the Senna S onto the next straight. This area has seen many over taking manoeuvres over the years but also many collisions. The quick left hander that crosses the pit entrance just before the line is another area where cars can get into trouble with several big crashes occurring here over the years, particularly if it rains. With recovery difficult in this area, a crash here will almost certainly bring out the safety car and could have a dramatic influence on the race.
Uk Viewers will have the choice of watching live on Sky F1 or the BBC this weekend. The race itself gets underway at 16:00 GMT.
It’s likely to be one of the best events of the year and even if Mercedes maintain their usual advantage the battle between Rosberg and Hamilton will be exciting. Rosberg is determined to stay on top and make a statement on a championship challenge for 2016. Hamilton will be eager to get back on top and take a victory on a track he is yet to win at. With Ayrton Senna being his childhood hero, he’ll be determined to emulate the Brazilian in the year that he matched his record of three championships. Felipe Massa would dearly love to win on home soil but it seems unlikely he can win without the Mercedes hitting trouble. Vettel would also love to win again in Brazil and he’s been the only driver in 2015 to beat the Mercedes duo in a fight on track. In the 71 laps that follow after the lights go out at 4pm we’ll find out who will come out on top. By Marc Waller
