Brazilian Grand Prix: About the race!

[GeorgeUnited32]

This weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix finally brings the curtain down on a record-equalling longest season in Formula One with 19 races with the latest finish to a campaign since 1963.

The world title has been decided in five of the last six seasons at Interlagos, but will not be on this occasion in light of the achievements of Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing.

Nevertheless, the Sao Paulo venue is one of the most highly-rated by all the drivers in F1 and should provide for a fascinating end -of-season showdown.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/for...#ixzz1elt5ISux

Venue: Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Interlagos

Circuit length: 4.309km/2.677 miles

Laps: 71

Race distance: 305.909km/190.082

Lap record: 1min 11.473secs (Juan Pablo Montoya, 2004)

2010 winner: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2010 pole position: Nico Hulkenberg (Williams) 1min 14.470secs

2010 fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) 1min 13.851secs

Tyre compounds to be used: Medium/soft

Bumpiness: Medium

Overtaking chance: Low

Engine severity: Medium

Brake severity: Medium

Number of corners: 15 (10 left/5 right)

No of safety cars deployed in last 10 years: 11

- Sebastian Vettel goes into qualifying knowing one final pole position will see him take the outright record with 15 for the season after equalling Nigel Mansell's 1992 mark of 14 last time out in Abu Dhabi.

- With 29 career poles, only five drivers are ahead of Vettel on F1's all-time list - Michael Schumacher (68), Ayrton Senna (65), Jim Clark (33), Alain Prost (33) and Mansell (32).

- Vettel's retirement in Abu Dhabi, however, ended his 19-race run of consecutive points finishes, five shy of Michael Schumacher's record. It also denied him a shot at equalling the seven-times champion's mark of 13 wins in a season.

[GeorgeUnited32]

Vettel wins record 15th pole at Brazilian GP

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press
http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/top/news;...an_gp-15185495

SAO PAULO - Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel set the record for most poles in a season, capturing his 15th at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Saturday to break Nigel Mansell's 19-year record.

Vettel finished in one minute 11.918 seconds at the 4.3-kilometre Interlagos track. The 24-year-old German drew level with Mansell after winning his 14th pole at the Abu Dhabi GP two weeks ago.

Vettel parked his car and extended his finger to show who was No. 1 again, his trademark celebration all year.

"This is really special, it's different from the other poles," Vettel said. "I'm enjoying the moment. All and all, I was pretty happy with my days on Saturdays (this season).

"I put everything in that last lap, it was very emotional when I crossed the line. It was all I had, I gave it all."

Red Bull teammate Mark Webber was second in 1:12.099. Jenson Button of McLaren was second in 1:12.283, ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Ferrari.

Vettel had been fastest in the final practice Saturday morning and also dominated qualifying, staying in front throughout the session.

Mansell set the record with Williams in a 16-race season in 1992, when he also won nine races to win his only F1 drivers' title. He failed to start from pole only at the Canadian GP and Hungarian GP that year. He had six consecutive poles to start the season and five straight to finish.

Vettel broke the record in 19 races. He failed to win the pole only in Spain, England, Germany and Korea. His worst starting position was third, in Germany.

"There is no secret, once we go to qualifying we all seem to enjoy it," Vettel said. "Qualifying is all about putting everything that you have and that the car has in one lap. It's like a rush, I really enjoy that."

The German had been trying to avoid talking about the record, saying he wouldn't sacrifice his race performance to prioritize the car's setup for qualifying just to break Mansell's mark.

"There was quite some talk before this weekend about this particular record, the best thing was not to think about it," he said.

With the title already decided in favour of Vettel since the Japanese GP, virtually the only thing at stake in Brazil is the fight for second place, with Button, Alonso and Webber still with a chance to finish runner-up. Button has a 10-point lead over Alonso and an 18-point advantage over Webber.

"I feel we did the best in the car," Button said. "The setup was the best we were going to get it. I got everything out of it."

Vettel dominated the season with 11 victories, but it was Hamilton who won the last race in Abu Dhabi after a tire failure forced Vettel to retire on the first lap.

Red Bull also has already won the constructors' championship, with McLaren finishing second and Ferrari third.