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Racing in the rain – Max Verstappen relives his Epic drive at the 2016 Brazilian GP

Following in the footsteps of the likes of Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher before him, Red Bull's Max Verstappen made a name for himself as a driver who thrives in wet conditions as he charged through the field to take P3 at last year's Brazilian Grand Prix. Dropping back to 14th place, the young Dutchman put on a performance to remember to eventually finish on the podium alongside Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. It was a race which Max remembers fondly, and one which is now looked upon as one of the great 'arrival' drives.

MIKA:

The video below also shows how brilliant Max is in wet weather. Partly luck, sure, but also skill.

 

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MCLAREN PREVIEW THE BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

Fernando Alonso

Interlagos is one of the oldest and most historic venues on the Formula 1 calendar. The circuit staged its first world championship race in 1973, on a breathtakingly fast 7.960km/4.946-mile layout that McLaren world champion Emerson Fittipaldi described as “a rollercoaster”.

The track was shortened and modified in the late ’80s for safety reasons and the new layout has hosted the Brazilian Grand Prix every year since 1990

Fernando Alonso: “Interlagos is one of the great ‘classic’ tracks on the calendar, with an incredible history and a long list of famous names that have lifted the trophy. It’s also one of the most dramatic Grands Prix of the year – there are always incidents and action and the weather plays a big part in the outcome. This circuit should suit our car better than the last couple of tracks, so we hope we can give ourselves the best chance in qualifying as starting position is very important in a race where a lot can happen. It’s a really fun track – a short lap with a good flow, and the new cars this year will make it feel even faster. During the race, if you can get a good rhythm through the final corner it really helps down the start-finish straight and into Turn 1, and then you can attack the first corner going into the next lap. It’s part of what makes this circuit so exciting. After the USA and Mexico, we’re looking ahead to Brazil and Abu Dhabi with a bit more expectation as we knew those tracks would be really difficult for us. However, Mexico was definitely a surprise and we performed better than we anticipated. This will surely be a tricky race and there are always risks to take with the weather and strategy, but if we can start the race from where we should be in qualifying, it could give us a good chance to score some points.”

Stoffel Vandoorne: “I’m looking forward to tackling another new circuit next weekend in Brazil, especially one that is considered so legendary among the fans and the other drivers. Interlagos is the place where championships have been won and lost, and classic Grands Prix have taken place with great names like Senna and Prost winning some of F1’s most famous races. Like every circuit we race on, I put in a lot of preparation with my engineers in the simulator, so by the time we head out onto the track on Friday morning I feel completely ready to tackle it and already comfortable with the layout and set-up the circuit requires. This means that, like Fernando, I can spend FP1 dialling-in the car to the track and conditions and give valuable feedback to the team so they can gather as much as information as possible. Qualifying at Interlagos is always important because you never know what can happen in the race. In Mexico I had a great start, so if we can start further up the grid in Brazil – providing we can avoid more penalties – it’ll open up good opportunities in the race. It’s important to stay out of trouble and have a clean race and then we can see what we can do from there. There’s everything to play for and I’m excited to experience the famous atmosphere at Interlagos thanks to the enthusiastic Brazilian fans.”

Eric Boullier, Racing Director: “As we enter the penultimate race weekend of the season, Interlagos is always a fantastic venue to visit and the scene of a number of dramatic and poignant grands prix for McLaren. The undulating nature of the circuit is one of the most famous configurations on the calendar, and provides a real test for not only the car and driver but also the whole team. It’s one of a few races of the season where anything can happen – and often does – and can mean a challenging weekend for our mechanics, engineers and strategists alike, because of the drama the weather conditions often create on this unforgiving circuit. The difference between a solid points-scoring result and not is often the number of gambles the teams of strategists up and down the pit lane have to take depending on the given weather situation, which makes it one of the most exciting race weekends on the calendar. For McLaren, we’re heading into the weekend with cautious optimism as we know that statistically this circuit should suit the strengths of our package better than the past couple of venues we’ve visited. Both of our drivers are well prepared for the weekend ahead and the whole team is looking forward to the legendary welcome we always receive from the incredible Brazilian crowds. I hope we can contribute to the great show the enthusiastic fans have come to expect there each year and end the weekend with a positive result.”

Yusuke Hasegawa, Honda R&D Co. Ltd Head of F1 Project & Executive Chief Engineer: “After ending busy back-to-back races in the USA and Mexico, we’re now heading to Brazil and the penultimate race of the season. Last time out in Mexico ended with a positive atmosphere in the team after Fernando snatched an all-important championship point. We’re now looking to maintain that momentum as we head to Interlagos. The legendary Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace is a relatively short, albeit challenging, track. It is highly technical with a variety of swooping corners and elevation changes, and overtaking is notoriously tricky. PU set-up will be key to ensuring good driveability throughout the lap. Brazil will always be a special place for Honda due to our great history with Ayrton Senna. We receive a warm welcome from the fans every time we go there, and hopefully we can show them a good race.”

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TORO ROSSO DRIVERS PREVIEW THE BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

Brendon Hartley

Toro Rosso drivers preview the Brazilian Grand Prix, Round 19 of the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship, at Autódromo José Carlos Pace (aka Interlagos) in São Paulo.

Brendon Hartley: “I’m very happy to be heading to Brazil with Toro Rosso. With the help of the team I made big progress in Mexico and I’m confident that, with a little bit more luck than last time out, we can fight for points. I’m starting to feel at home in the F1 paddock and Sao Paulo is a track I enjoyed and know quite well from when I raced there back in 2014 for the final round of the FIA WEC Championship. So, all in all, I definitely look forward to my third race weekend in Formula 1 and what will be my fifth race weekend in a row!”

Pierre Gasly: “I’m so excited to be racing in Brazil this week! It will be my first time driving in Sao Paulo, it’s such a mythical track! It has so much history and it’s one of my favourites, even though I wasn’t born, one of my favourite races was when Ayrton Senna won in ’91. With Senna being one of my all-time idols, I really can’t wait to get there and discover this amazing track! The weather can be sometimes tricky and I remember many race weekends happening under rain, in terms of performance it will be better for us. I really like wet conditions as well, so let’s see how it will be, I think the rain would be good for us to spice things up! If it rains, anything can happen!”

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HAAS PREVIEW THE BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

Kevin Magnussen

Soccer, or fútbol as it is referred to in Latin America, is often called the “beautiful game”. It is a sport infused with art, and massively popular in Brazil. The country has five World Cup titles – the most of any nation – and an icon in Pelé, known across the globe as one of the game’s greats.

Brazil also has the penultimate round of the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship, and a passionate and massive motorsports fan base cemented by the exploits of three-time champion Ayrton Senna, who was born in São Paulo, home of the Autódromo José Carlos Pace and the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Formula One is motorsports’ beautiful game. Purpose-built racecars housing a turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engine that spins at 15,000 rpm underneath the sinewy shape of a Coke-bottle designed exterior are available to an elite group of 20 drivers who travel to racetracks around the world wringing every ounce of speed from their machines in their quest for points and the ultimate goal of victory.

Haas F1 Team comes into São Paulo fresh off a self-described victory in the preceding Mexican Grand Prix, where driver Kevin Magnussen held off four-time champion Lewis Hamilton and two-time champion Fernando Alonso to finish eighth.

While eighth is a long way from a win, eighth seemed to be unreachable after Haas F1 team struggled mightily in the lead up to the Mexican Grand Prix. Magnussen and teammate Romain Grosjean qualified last among the drivers who posted times, with the 18th and 19th quickest times, respectively.

But come raceday, resiliency and tenacity allowed Magnussen to collect four valuable points in a beautiful drive that placed Haas F1 Team eighth in the constructors standings, one point behind the factory Renault team and only six points arrears sixth-place Toro Rosso.

Just as Pelé’s footwork on the pitch propelled Brazil to three of its five World Cups, Magnussen’s work on the track and that of his teammate Grosjean has resulted in 47 points for Haas F1 Team this year. It’s a tally that with still two races remaining is 18 points better than last year, which was the team’s inaugural Formula One season and the first for an American Formula One entity in 30 years.

Haas F1 Team finished eighth in the constructors standings last year, so the goal this year is to finish one spot better. Hitting the nice, round number of 50 points earned is also in sight.

Getting there, however, means successfully navigating the 4.309-kilometer (2.677-mile), 15-turn Interlagos circuit. It is one of the shortest laps on the Formula One calendar, but arguably the most intense.

The undulating course in Brazil’s largest city is a challenge for drivers and teams. It is run anticlockwise and consists of a twisty infield portion between turns six and 12, with three long straights between turns three and four, turns five and six, and off turn 14 down the frontstretch before the beginning of the Senna “S” in turn one.

Maximum downforce would be preferred through the tight and twisting section, but in order to maximize the straights, cars need to be trimmed out with as little drag as possible. Some downforce is already lost before a wheel is even turned, as São Paulo sits 800 meters (2,625 feet) above sea level.

All of this puts grip at a premium on the relatively bumpy track. Pirelli has brought its P Zero White medium, Yellow soft and Red supersoft tires to Brazil, with the softs and especially the supersofts expected to get the lion’s share of the work.

That work on the track, like a fútbol players’ work on the pitch, becomes art in Formula One. And for this coming weekend in Brazil, the beautiful game gets four wheels and a tightly packaged engine.

Haas F1 Team is intent on points at Interlagos, with the goal being betterment from last year. Brazil serves as a set piece for the American squad, with Magnussen and Grosjean ready to pen a points-paying finish in the penultimate round of the 2017 Formula One season.

Autódromo José Carlos Pace

  • Circuit Length: 4.309 km (2.677 miles)
  • Laps: 71
  • Race Distance: 305.909 km (190.083 miles)

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal

You overcame a difficult Friday and Saturday last weekend in Mexico City to earn a points-paying result on Sunday. Talk about all that you endured last weekend and how satisfying Magnussen’s eighth-place finish was for the team.
“If somebody had told us on Friday or Saturday that we would finish up in the points, even with one point, we’d have signed on for it. It just shows that you’ve always got to keep on believing in yourself and pushing. With a little bit of luck, and a fantastic drive from Kevin, we ended up eighth. Obviously, the Friday and Saturday were disappointing. Everything which shouldn’t have happened to us did, and we were just slow. We learned a lot, also in view for next year, how not to do things – which is always good. We’re very thankful for the points we got. We’ll try to get more.”

Magnussen had to hold off two world champions to earn his eighth-place finish in Mexico City. Talk about that drive and what you saw from him in the closing laps of the Mexican Grand Prix.
“I think it was pretty cool. He was just doing a fantastic job. The McLaren was on ultrasoft tires and we were on soft. So, to hold off a McLaren on ultrasofts with a world champion (Fernando Alonso) behind the wheel is not easy. He did very well, and with style. To hold off Lewis (Hamilton) in a Mercedes for two laps is quite astonishing. Maybe Lewis didn’t have to push hard because he was world champion if he finished ninth, but nevertheless, Lewis doesn’t want to finish ninth if he can finish eighth, so for sure he tried but he couldn’t get him. I think it was Kevin’s best drive of the year for Haas.”

After the Mexican Grand Prix, Magnussen said his result felt like a victory. For those unfamiliar with Formula One, how does an eighth-place finish feel like a win?
“I think if you use the pecking order of where the cars are now, we are toward the end, especially in Mexico. Our free practice runs and our qualifying runs weren’t good. In qualifying, we were last. We were the slowest ones. For sure, coming back in the race and finishing eighth, and fighting for eighth and being competitive, it was like a win for us. We know that the first six cars we can’t beat anyway and, normally, we’ve got two more teams in front of us. For sure, for him, it must have felt like a win and he kept two world champions behind him.”

The Mexican Grand Prix showcased the resiliency of Haas F1 Team. Despite the odds stacked against the organization before the green flag waved, the team earned one of its best finishes of the year. How important is it to remain positive and go into a race with an open mind, regardless of your starting position?
“I think every day, and every session, you need to be open about being able to do better. You must always believe in what you can do. The moment you don’t believe in yourself, or in the team anymore, if you give up on it, you won’t achieve anything. You take it by the lap, the hour and the day. Whatever it is, you’re always convinced you can do better, otherwise where do you take your motivation from to do this?”

With only two races remaining, the midfield is as tight as ever, specifically among Haas F1 Team, Renault and Toro Rosso. How would you characterize this battle?
“For sure, we try to grab at least one position. It’s very difficult because we’re fighting with teams which are as good, if not better than us. Renault is a works team. They’ve got a lot of people working for them. They’ve made good progress over this year. They’ve had a few reliability issues lately, which played into our hands, and we took them. You cannot predict what is happening. Who would’ve predicted that we would come away with points in Mexico? If you’d told that to someone on Saturday, people would’ve laughed about it. Nothing is impossible to happen, everything is possible to happen. I don’t know where it ends up, but I’m sure we’ll put a fight up for it.”

What do you want to achieve before Haas F1 Team’s sophomore season is over?
“A goal would be to finish better than last year, which would be seventh, at least. Can we achieve it? We’re sure going to try.”

Last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix was run in the wet, but in 2015 when the race was run in the dry, the top-three finishers used a three-stop strategy. What needs to happen to make a three-stop strategy work over a typical, two-stop strategy?
“With the tires we’ve got this year, there will be no three-stop strategies, no chance. We need to get the data on Friday to see if it’ll be a one-stop or a two-stop, but a three-stop will never work.”

Formula One and the FIA jointly announced a direction for power unit regulations in 2021, including a higher-revving engine (3,000 rpm higher), removal of the MGU-H, a more powerful MGU-K with manual driver deployment and a single turbo with dimensional constraints and weight limits. Granted, you’re not an engine manufacturer as you receive your engines from Ferrari, but what is your take on this direction?
“They’ve tried to achieve the things they set out with more noise, more equality and lower costs. That is the aim of it. I think they’ve thrown out a good concept to start off with. Now the details can be worked out by the technical people. The concept is out there and I don’t think the concept will be changed. But now they need to work on the detail of the concept to achieve the goals they’ve set themselves with more noise, more equality and lower costs for the customer teams. Hopefully, they can achieve it.”

Is there an element of this direction you’d like to see expanded, such as a spec gearbox that can mate with any engine?
“I think the aim is, with the new spec of engine, that you can bolt it onto any car, and any part to it. They will define more of the attachment points.”

Much has been made about the sound of Formula One cars, specifically that they need to be louder, like they used to be. What are your thoughts?
“The noise – if you don’t have it, you think it’s not important because it’s just noise. If you hear a V10 or a V12 going by, when you see these historic cars, it sounds beautiful. I think a lot of people like the noise. I don’t think we’ll get to that noise of a V10 or a V12, because you have a turbo on it. You can improve, and the aim is with making the rev limit 3,000 rpm higher than the current engine, it can be achieved to be noisier. I think it will never be like it was. A little bit noisier is good because I think it’s great for the fans to hear a car coming from far away.”

Of all the elements mentioned in the direction of the 2021 power unit regulations, is the most important and unspoken element cost?
“I wouldn’t say it’s the most important. It’s as important as the other ones because even if it’s cheap, if people don’t like the engine, why would we do it? There needs to be a compromise between what the fans like, which is noise, and new manufacturers coming in, which is what people want. The cost element is also important for new people, for current people, and for the teams which don’t make their own engines, like us. It’s part of what we need to do to change Formula One to be better.”

How long will it take to get everyone on the same page to enact this new direction for power unit regulations?
“I think it will take a year to finalize the regulations. I think that’s the aim, to have the final version of the technical regulations by the end of 2018. Then it’s a two-year development process. I think already the manufacturers will start now to develop, because you cannot be behind.”

Romain Grosjean

You endured a difficult weekend in the last grand prix in Mexico City. What were you struggling with and was it specific to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez or do you expect to face similar challenges in Brazil?
“Well, we struggled in qualifying with both cars. We didn’t really have any pace. In the race, the pace was better but, unfortunately, my car was badly damaged following the contact with Fernando Alonso. So, we really struggled during the race with the damage. I lost a lot of downforce from the floor. It was a difficult one. I’m hoping that Brazil will be a little less challenging. Hopefully, we’ll get better performance, which was the case last year. Mexico is a very special one, with the altitude and the cooling, and so on. We didn’t have much downforce on the car. Obviously in the race, when we could’ve made some ground, the damage didn’t allow us to do so.”

When you have a tough weekend, do you dwell on it or do you try to put it out of your mind as quickly as possible and focus on the next race?
“I think having a family is really good in this aspect. I go back home and I play with the kids. They make you forget you’ve had a tough weekend. You can always learn from it, and you need to learn from a tough one, but it doesn’t put you down as it would if you maybe didn’t have a family. They just boost me again, and I just use the experience to move forward.”

With only two races remaining, the midfield is as tight as ever, specifically among Haas F1 Team, Renault and Toro Rosso. How would you characterize this battle, and do you find yourself looking at the time sheets to see where you stack up to the drivers on those teams?
“I think out of those teams, Renault is the faster one. They’ve got a really good car through to the end of the season. They’ve had a bit more of a difficult time in the races, which has allowed us to close the gap and keep them in sight. Toro Rosso is the one we can try to go for. They’re not performing better than we are, and they’ve got less experience amongst their drivers, so that should help us. We’re going to do everything we can to get those positions because it’s very important for the team.”

Whenever Formula One travels to Brazil, Ayrton Senna’s legacy is prominent. Of all his races, is there one that stands out for you?
“Brazil is always special because of Ayrton Senna. He was one of the biggest names in Formula One. Interlagos is a special place. There’s so much history there. On raceday you’ve got so much support from the fans. I remember Ayrton winning there in 1991 when he couldn’t hold the trophy in the air because he was so tired and had the pain in his arms from driving.”

Interlagos was resurfaced prior to the 2014 race. How much has the track changed since then and what do you expect this year with another year of weathering to the track surface?
“It was good because it was very bumpy. Unfortunately, some of the curbs were changed and the nature of the track changed a little bit, which is a bit of a shame. Generally, it’s a track I really like. It’ll be interesting to see how it’s evolved with the heavy rain we know you can get in Brazil. We’ll just go out there and see what we can do.”

Interlagos appears to be a very physical track, and heat often plays a role in the performance of the car and the driver. Considering these variables, how do you attack the track?
“It’s a pretty tough track with not much opportunity for a rest. Even in the straight lines you can’t rest as much as you would like. You’re at altitude as well, at 800 meters (2,625 feet), so coming from Mexico that’s nothing, but you’re still not at sea level. The weather can be challenging. It can be very warm and humid. It’s a pretty intense challenge but, at the end of the day, that’s what we’re looking for.”

Last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix was run in the wet, but in 2015 when the race was run in the dry, the top-three finishers used a three-stop strategy. What needs to happen to make a three-stop strategy work over a typical, two-stop strategy?
“I think it’s the tire degradation and the tire delta time between the different compounds. Let’s say you’ve got a soft tire, which is much faster than the medium, but degrades quite quickly, then you’re better with three stops. If you run the medium, and the pace that it brings compared to the soft is favorable, and the degradation is low, then you should go for two stops. That’s how it’s calculated.”

What is your favorite part of the Autódromo José Carlos Pace?
“I like the Senna ‘S’, and the first few corners are pretty amazing.”

Describe a lap around the Autódromo José Carlos Pace.
“You go onto the pit straight and then big braking to go to the Senna ‘S’. Very tricky turn in on the left-hand side. You really want to be well placed for the right turn two, which sets you up for turn three and the second straight. Big braking to turn four, left-hand side, 90 degrees, a pretty good corner. Then you get to the middle part – turn five is a high-speed corner going up the crest. It’s tricky. Then it’s turn six and the hairpin on the right-hand side. We can’t use the curb as much as we used to. Turn seven is a left-hand side corner, no braking, just a lift off. It’s a bit of a strange one. The second hairpin is then on the right-hand side, a second high-speed corner going down the hill, prior to the last turn. It’s a left-hand corner where you really want to go early on the throttle because you’re facing a wall to go up to the finish line.”

Kevin Magnussen

You overcame a difficult Friday and Saturday last weekend in Mexico City with a sensational drive on Sunday, holding off Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso to finish eighth and earn four valuable points. Talk about all that you endured last weekend and how satisfying your drive on Sunday was for you and the team.
“After a difficult Saturday, where we were all pretty down after qualifying so badly, it was awesome to get a good result and come back strong on Sunday.”

After the Mexican Grand Prix, you said your result felt like a victory. For those unfamiliar with Formula One, how does an eighth-place finish feel like a win?
“It’s really tough in Formula One and car performance plays a massive part in what result you’re going to get. After the poor qualifying we had, it showed we weren’t quite on top of the performance, and we didn’t think we were going to get points. On Sunday we delivered – almost over-delivered – to finish eighth and get those four points.”

The Mexican Grand Prix showcased the resiliency of you and Haas F1 Team. Despite the odds stacked against you before the green flag waved, you earned one of your best finishes of the year. How important is it to remain positive and go into a race with an open mind, regardless of your starting position?
“The result on Sunday showed that you should never give up, no matter what has happened leading up to the race. You can always over-perform and get something out of it, even if it looks bad. It shows what the team is made of.”

With only two races remaining, the midfield is as tight as ever, specifically among Haas F1 Team, Renault and Toro Rosso. How would you characterize this battle, and do you find yourself looking at the time sheets to see where you stack up to the drivers on those teams?
“It’s only one point now to Renault for seventh in the constructors championship, and it’s only six points to Toro Rosso. It’s extremely close and anything can happen in these last two races. We just need to be on top of everything and get everything out of it that we can. It’s not going to be easy. Those teams are doing well and they’re tough competitors.”

What is your favorite part of the Autódromo José Carlos Pace?
The Senna ‘S’ bend. It’s a nice flowing part of the track and it’s going to be challenging to see how fast it is this year with the new cars.”

Describe a lap around the Autódromo José Carlos Pace.
“Legendary and challenging.”

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RENAULT PREVIEW THE BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

Carlos Sainz

Renault preview the Brazilian Grand Prix, Round 19 of the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship, at Autódromo José Carlos Pace (aka Interlagos) in São Paulo.

Foreword from Renault Sport Racing Managing Director, Cyril Abiteboul: “In the wake of challenging back-to-back races for the team, the Brazilian Grand Prix is already looming. Interlagos is a legendary circuit that often makes for an unpredictable race in front of many excited fans. The weather often plays an important role, but come rain or shine, we are confident in the positive qualities of both our drivers and the R.S.17. The enthusiasm of the fans is always enjoyable to see and hear; in so many regards it is a very fine Grand Prix.”
 
“For its part, the Mexican Grand Prix was particularly difficult with a number of unacceptable mechanical problems and we have the clear intention to take fast and strong measures. The particularities of Mexico accentuated our weaknesses, but clearly we have not been successful in balancing performance and reliability.”
 
“The performance of our engine has progressed a lot this year as the results in the race attest; we now have to find reliability, for both us and our customers, even if Max won magnificently in Mexico.”
 
“The team remains confident and united, which is essential to maintain progress to the end of the season, and also for our preparations for 2018. We have the means; our organisation is stable, robust and competent.”
 
“This season we set ourselves the goal of fifth in the Constructors’ Championship. Whilst achieving this is still mathematically possible, it is now a tall order after a race where we didn’t score points.”
 
“Mexico highlighted our performance potential. Both cars sadly retired, however the two cars reached Q3 and lined up seventh and eighth on the grid and were in fourth and fifth at the end of the first lap. Points were clearly within our reach.”
 
“There are now two Grands Prix remaining. We will do everything we can to be sixth at the end of the weekend.”
 
Against the clock: Technical Director Nick Chester

After a Mexican Grand Prix which fell short of expectations, the team have a point to prove at Interlagos, one of Formula 1’s most popular circuits, explains Technical Director Nick Chester

What are the main challenges of Interlagos?
It’s a track with three interesting and contrasting sectors. The first sector is fairly quick with medium to high speed corners and a short straight which enables DRS overtaking opportunities. The middle sector is very twisty, which should play to the strengths of the R.S.17 pretty well. The lap is capped-off with a big drag up the hill and the long straight. It’s an interesting layout sat at a relatively high altitude. Both drivers should perform well there in the R.S.17.

Interlagos was once the highest on the calendar, is it still a challenge after the giddy heights of Mexico?
Despite the reasonably high altitude of São Paulo, Mexico City trounces it. Instead of being 25% down on air density as we are in Mexico, we’ll be down only by around 10% which is much, much easier to manage. We’re not expecting too many dramas to control temperatures and there will be a range of set-ups for us to try out. It’s not a full downforce track like Monaco or Hungary but there are a range of aero set-ups for us to try.

Dare we mention the weather?
The weather can be quite exciting there and is always a bit of an uncertainty. Notably, there have been four wet races in the past nine years at Interlagos. We haven’t had many wet races this year, so certainly there’s some scope for interest. We’ll be well prepared for any eventuality.

What are your thoughts on Carlos’s first two races with the team?
Carlos has been very good. He had a fantastic race in Austin, he works with the team brilliantly, qualifies well and I think he’s done a great job so far. Mexico was tricky with low grip, particularly in the wake of other cars, which led to the spin in the race.

How’s progress with next year’s car?
We’re making strong progress at Enstone and it’s where our focus lies. It’s a completely new car despite a relatively low number of regulation changes. We’ve learnt a lot on the aerodynamic package and the balance of a car built to 2017 regulations, so the car should represent a strong step forward. We’ll be doing some aero runs in practice in Brazil with a variety of aero instrumentation to help prepare the 2018 package.

Reset and refocus: Nico Hulkenberg

After an early escape from the Mexican Grand Prix Nico Hülkenberg returns to the scene of his incredible rookie season pole position…

What do you make of the Brazilian Grand Prix?
It’s very special for me and one of my favourite places and races on the calendar. São Paulo is a crazy city and there’s something I really like about it. The food, the people, it’s all really engaging and a highly unique experience.

How do you rate the track?
The track itself has so much history especially when you cast your mind to all the stories and championships won there. You can feel the history and the emotions that belong to racing and I really like that. It’s a reason why I usually perform quite well there. The circuit is short and can be quite tricky to get right. It’s anti-clockwise, very bumpy and extremely tough on the neck! It’s all about confidence, especially the in-field middle sector.

Why do you think you go well in Brazil?
I have special memories around Interlagos! My only Formula 1 pole position to date came in my rookie season, which was awesome. I put a perfect lap together at the right time in changing conditions and poled it by over a second; that’s a real standout moment in my entire racing career. In 2012, I led for a large part of the race and was unlucky not to get a podium. I have a decent record there and I will be pushing to make sure I continue that.

How do you reflect on Mexico?
Mexico was a good weekend, sadly without a happy ending! We qualified well, and I got a good start in the race to be running in fourth position. Sadly, that wasn’t to last and it was an early bath for me. We missed out on some points, which is always disappointing, but we’ll start over again.
Samba Time

After a complicated Sunday in Mexico Carlos Sainz is ready to battle in Brazil in the season’s penultimate race.

What do you think of Brazil?
The track is obviously nice and you can still feel the vibe from Ayrton Senna all around. He’s still very much in people’s hearts, which makes it very special. In actual fact, it’s not a track layout I particularly enjoy, but it’s one of those historical places in Formula 1 where you race. There are a lot of stories in Brazil and lots of championships have been won there. The Brazilian culture is pretty eclectic, and, in terms of food, it’s probably my favourite destination on the calendar.

What are your personal Interlagos memories?
I had a good race there last year and it was one of my most complete Grands Prix. I was fifteenth in qualifying – two seconds off the top guys – and suddenly I was racing against them in the rain! We were back alive on race day, we got the strategy right and it paid off. We did a decent job and it was a very enjoyable Sunday capped off with eight points.

How’s Interlagos to drive?
The track is old school and challenging to get right, especially the twisty in-field which features some changes in elevation. The weather usually throws up some surprises; it can be nice and very warm and then it will switch to thunderstorms. The secret is adapting quickly to the weather and finding a well-balanced car which is suited to both wet and dry conditions.

What are your post-Grand Prix feelings from Mexico?
Mexico was difficult, I had a high-speed spin early on in the race which hampered my running. After the last few races, I think we have a car that can be in the top ten. We need to keep both cars on track and aim for points again in Brazil. We need to fightback.

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Felipe Massa wants 'different path' after retiring from Formula 1

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Felipe Massa says he is "ready to follow a different path" after announcing he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the 2017 season.

Massa originally quit F1 at the end of 2016, but was enticed back by Williams to replace Valtteri Bottas, who left for Mercedes ahead of the current campaign following Nico Rosberg's surprise retirement.

Massa admits he was keen to stay on in F1 for a 16th season, as he feels competitive enough to compete, but has "no regrets".

"Part of me wanted to carry on because I think I'm still competitive enough to race a top-line Formula 1 car, and also because I feel very good at Williams," he said in his column for Autosport's sister title Motorsport.com.

"But every story has to come to an end at some point, and on my part I have no regrets.

"Exactly a year ago I lived the same situation, and then suddenly the team asked me to come back.

"For me, it was a real privilege to do so and something I appreciated a lot, and a year later I am ready to follow a different path - happy with what I have done and what we have achieved this season."

Massa plans to continue racing, with Formula E on the agenda in the future, but has yet to decide what his programme will be next year.

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"There are those who will be curious to know where I will be racing next year, but it is too early to declare now," said Massa, who has scored 11 wins, 41 podiums, 16 pole positions in F1 and finished runner up to Lewis Hamilton in the 2008 drivers' championship.

"For now my focus is on finishing the season. I have two more grands prix to do, which will be important for me and the team, and then you will see.

"I will consider all the possibilities that I have been offered, and then decide without hesitation nor with the stress of being on track at all costs. I like to race, I feel competitive, and that's what I want to do.

"I would like to accept a new challenge, as long as it is a professional role and with good prospects to deliver strong results.

"While I enjoy racing, I want to keep doing it - and keep getting the pleasure that I have always had throughout my career."

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RED BULL AND FERRARI AIM TO GATECRASH MERCEDES PARTY

Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo

The 2017 Formula 1 World Championship titles are done and dusted and the pressure is off but the season could yet have a sting in the tail for four-times world champion Lewis Hamilton and triumphant Mercedes, ending the partying that the Silver Arrows folks have enjoyed for the past month.

Resurgent Red Bull believe they can win the last two races, in Brazil this weekend and Abu Dhabi at the end of November, while Ferrari are also eager to wrap up 2017 with a flourish.

“The last four races we’ve had the quickest car on a Sunday,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner after Max Verstappen won in Mexico and Hamilton finished ninth to take the title.

“Hopefully Brazil can be a good track for us and why not in Abu Dhabi? It will be great to finish the season with at least one more victory.”

Verstappen excelled in the wet at Sao Paulo’s atmospheric Interlagos circuit last year, when his performance in racing from 16th to third in 15 laps drew comparisons with some of the greats.

The Dutch 20-year-old has now won two of the last four races, after a run of poor reliability, while Red Bull have scored more points than second-placed Ferrari since the end of the August break.

“As you would expect I’m hoping for another damp race weekend as I don’t think we can be as competitive there in the dry, especially with the elevation changes on the straight,” said Verstappen.

Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo, also a winner this season in Azerbaijan, was hopeful even though the circuit is not one of his favourites.

Hamilton has won nine times this year, including five of the last seven, and can still equal the career best of 11 in a season he achieved in 2014. He took both the pole and victory at Interlagos last year.

Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas is third overall and only 15 points behind Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, a four-times winner this year, with Mercedes determined to finish one-two for the fourth season in a row.

”Now the pressure is kind of off, we can go and enjoy these next couple of races,“ said Hamilton after Mexico. ”I think it’s important that we focus exactly as we have and continue to race as we have.

“This is not an opportunity for us to take our eye off the ball,” added the Briton, who was planning on visiting the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in Peru with friends in between the Latin American races.

“The pressure is off so we should be able to perform better than we ever have and I believe we can.”

Sunday will also be a home farewell for Brazilian Felipe Massa, who is leaving Williams and Formula One at the end of the season.

Last year he made an emotional exit only to return when Bottas moved to Mercedes from Williams to replace the retired 2016 champion Nico Rosberg.

“I take so many great memories with me as I prepare for my final two races,” said the former Ferrari driver who missed out on the 2008 title to Hamilton by a single point.

“Although they will be emotional, I am looking forward to ending on a high note and preparing for a new chapter in my career,” added Massa.

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HORNER: WE GOT VERY CLOSE TO SIGNING ALONSO

Fernando Alonso, Christian Horner

Many believe that Fernando Alonso’s career in Formula 1 has been plagued by bad management decisions, that conspired to place the Spaniard in the wrong teams at the wrong time, and now it emerges that he was in talks with a drive for Red Bull in 2009… but he turned down the opportunity!

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner revealed to Motor Sport Magazine “We got very close to signing Alonso.”

“Helmut [Marko] and I went to see his management at the end of 2008 for the 2009 and 2010 season, and we offered him a two-year contract.”

“He would only sign up for one year. We said Red Bull’s position was a two-year deal or nothing, and he wouldn’t commit to that.”

“Flavio was involved as well, but he was trying to get him for Renault which he was managing at the time,” Horner explained. “In the end, he drove for Renault for 10 years.”

“Halfway through 2009, I had an approach to say: Could he join mid-season? They thought he could win the championship in the car.”

Instead, Alonso finally got his long-anticipated race seat at Ferrari for 2010. However, even a couple of years later there were still informal talks about possible talks.

“He had another conversation in the back of an Alfa Romeo at Spa airport several years late. [But] the most serious discussion was the first one, and then it missed its chance,” recalled Horner.

History will show that Red Bull opted for Sebastian Vettel in 2009 and that season the German finished second in the championship, thereafter he went on to win four F1 World Championships in four years as the energy drinks outfit dominated the final years of Formula 1’s normally aspirated engine era.

Alonso went to Ferrari in 2010 and spent five years at Maranello while Vettel racked up his titles. In 2014 the Spaniard joined McLaren and has since endured the bleakest speel of his career at the pinnacle of the sport.

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FORCE INDIA PREVIEW THE BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

Esteban Ocon

Force India the Brazilian Grand Prix, Round 19 of the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship, at Autódromo José Carlos Pace (aka Interlagos) in São Paulo.

Vijay Mallya: “To have confirmed fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship for the second consecutive year is a wonderful achievement. I’m incredibly proud of the entire team and delighted we have done so with two races in hand. It’s already been our strongest season yet in terms of points scored and we are just 25 shy of the 200 points mark. It shows how consistent we have been all year.

“With fourth place secure, we have the freedom to take a new approach into the remaining races – perhaps by trying some different things or different Friday drivers in the car to see what we can learn for next year. We can also be more aggressive with strategies and take more risks. We’re still hungry for strong results and want to end the season on a high note. The race in Brazil this week is an opportunity to continue our run of strong performances at the very least.”

Sergio: “I like Interlagos and it’s always one of the special races of the year. The track is tight and challenging, and it almost feels like a karting track. There is a good mix of corners and it’s a track that often creates good racing and some surprises.

“Rain showers are never too far away at this time of the year. I remember the wet race last year when I nearly finished on the podium. I only missed out with a few laps to go and it was one of those really difficult races because the track was so wet. I would like some more rain this year because it creates more of an opportunity for a big result.

“I enjoy visiting Brazil because it reminds me of Mexico and I’m always very relaxed there. I feel great support from the fans and the atmosphere in the grandstands gives me lots of energy.”

Esteban: “Interlagos is definitely one of my favourite tracks on the calendar. I drove there for the first time last year and had a very strong race in the rain. It’s an old-school track with little margin for error. As a driver, you always get more of a buzz from these types of circuit.

“As we saw last year, the weather conditions can be very unpredictable. I enjoyed driving in the wet last year and would be happy if it rains again. Whether it’s wet or dry, we will be strong because the car is performing really well and it’s a good chance to score some more points.

“Away from the track, I’ve always thought Sao Paulo is a cool place. Everybody talks about the food and there are some amazing restaurants. It’s always a good place to eat meat.”

Sahara Force India’s Chief Race Engineer, Tom McCullough, looks ahead to the Brazilian Grand Prix.

“The circuit in Interlagos is a proper old-school track that all drivers enjoy. At 4.309km, it’s one of the shortest laps of the season: with fewer corners than in Mexico and the second quickest lap time of the year, the grid tends to be pretty tight and every mistake costs you positions. It’s one of the few anti-clockwise tracks and there are plenty of elevation changes around the lap, including some which make the downhill braking zones particularly challenging. The infield section rewards maximum downforce, but to overtake you need to be quick in a straight line into turns one and four, so finding the right set-up requires a compromise. Though much lower than Mexico, we are still about 800m above sea level, which means the reduced air density results in less downforce and cooling capacity. Add in the rain, which is always a possibility around here, and there are all the elements for a very interesting race.”

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Red Bull expects valuable benefits from earlier 2018 debut

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Red Bull are slightly ahead of schedule with its 2018 car, with it expected to be completed five days earlier than their current RB13 and although team boss Christian Horner admits that's a small margin, he expects it to produce "valuable" benefits.

Red Bull are known to complete their car just days before pre-season testing kicks off, or to even skip the first test altogether to have the maximum amount of development time with its new car.

However its drivers believe that has created issues, such as Red Bull's slow start to the 2017 season in which the team had correlation issues between its wind tunnel and on-track data, which wasn't rectified until several races of the season had passed.

Only recently have the team begun challenging Mercedes and Ferrari, having won two of the last four races.

"We are focusing on a slightly earlier release target, which only involves about five days, but the design is so concertinaed and production schedules so tight, that those five days are actually pretty valuable in terms of being on the front foot rather than the back foot," Horner is quoted as saying by Autosport.

"Our intention is to try to turn up at the first test in a position to knock out about 100 laps."

With stable regulations, any developments this season can be carried over to next year, meaning the status quo is likely to remain, with Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull the leading trio. Horner therefore expects a stronger start to the year pending engine supplier Renault's progress over the winter.

"We've got pretty much regulation stability, so the lessons we take out of RB13 will go into RB14," he added. "We have demonstrated that we have got a really competitive chassis. I think since Hungary we've been very, very strong.

"Obviously we are hopeful that on the engine side that performance and reliability improve over the winter, and they are fundamental aspects for us.

"So as I say, if we can take these learnings into next year's car then hopefully we can start on a stronger footing than the second or so we were off in Melbourne at the beginning of the year."

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Andretti eyes potential Formula 1 team entry

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Michael Andretti still harbours hopes of owning a Formula 1 team and is keeping a firm eye on proceedings as the landscape of the sport begins to change under new ownership.

Michael Andretti only had a short stint as a Formula 1 driver with 13 entries at McLaren in 1993, but his father, the legendary Mario Andretti, was Formula 1 World Champion in 1978 and created a lasting legacy with the Andretti name and Formula 1.

And Michael Andretti, who now owns Andretti Autosport, is open to starting a new chapter by running a Formula 1 team.

"Obviously it comes down to having a backer, as I can't afford to do it myself," Andretti told DW Motorsport.

"There's been a few deals that started to go somewhere and then they didn't.

"We're always keeping our eyes open."

Andretti Autosport's current racing infrastructure includes Indycar, Formula E, rallycross and V8 Supercar, while the team also joined forces with McLaren as part of Fernando Alonso's run at the Indy 500.

MIKA: Hmmm... maybe a buyout of Force India?

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BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX FACTS & STATS

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In 1938 a huge plot of land was bought in Sao Paulo by two local property developers who intended to build a large housing development.

It soon became clear, however, that one part of the land was not suitable for housing and so they decided to build a racing circuit instead. Sao Paulo grew at an incredible speed though and soon the circuit was surrounded by houses.

When, in the 1970s, Emerson Fittipaldi began to have international success, the Brazilians started to want a Grand Prix. In 1971 and 1972 Interlagos hosted non-championship events but in 1973 the track staged its first championship Grand Prix.

The track became a lucky charm for local racers, with Fittipaldi and Carlos Pace taking the spoils of victory in the 1970s. Interlagos was the scene of Pace’s first and only Formula One triumph, and following his death in a plane crash the circuit was renamed in his honour.

In 1978 the Grand Prix moved to Rio, but in 1979 Interlagos got its race back. By 1981, however, Rio had retaken the Grand Prix, Sao Paulo’s slums being at odds with the glamorous image Formula One wanted to portray. When a $15m redevelopment programme was agreed in the heyday of Ayrton Senna, a Sao Paulo local, the race finally switched back to Interlagos.

And there it has stayed. Since Senna’s death there has been no Brazilian world champion, but the passion of the Brazilian fans keeps the sport coming back every year. (Source: F1.com)

Reuters by Facts & Stats

  • Statistics for Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo (round 19 of 20 races):
  • Lap distance: 4.309km. Total distance: 305.909km (71 laps)
  • 2016 pole: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes. One minute 10.736 seconds
  • 2016 winner: Hamilton
  • Race lap record: Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 1:11.473 (2004)

World Championship Titles

  • Mercedes have clinched their fourth constructors’ championship in a row and Lewis Hamilton his fourth drivers’ crown.
  • Hamilton, who took the title in Mexico last month, is the same age (32) as Michael Schumacher was when he took his fourth crown.
  • The Briton was the first driver to be lapped in his title-winning race since compatriot James Hunt in 1976.
  • British drivers have won 17 championships, more than any other nation. Germany is next on 12.

Race Victories

  • Hamilton has 62 victories from 206 races and is second in the all-time list behind Schumacher (91). Sebastian Vettel has 46.
  • Mercedes have won 11 of 18 races this season.
  • Ferrari have won 228 races since 1950, McLaren 182, Williams 114, Mercedes 75 and Red Bull 55. Former champions McLaren and Williams have not won since 2012.
  • Hamilton has won nine times this season, Vettel four. Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen two each and Daniel Ricciardo once.
  • Verstappen’s three career wins have all come after Russian Daniil Kvyat was dropped or demoted by Red Bull.

Pole Position

  • Hamilton has an all-time record 72 career poles.
  • Mercedes have been on pole 13 times in 18 races: Hamilton 11 times and Bottas twice.
  • Vettel has had four poles this season and his Ferrari team mate Kimi Raikkonen one.
  • Vettel took the 50th pole of his career in Mexico.

Podium

  • Hamilton has 116 podiums and is second on the all-time list behind Schumacher (155). Vettel has 97, Raikkonen 90.
  • Hamilton has 12 podiums this season, Vettel and Bottas 11 each. Ricciardo has had nine, the most he has ever scored in a single campaign, and Raikkonen six.

Points

  • Hamilton is an unassailable 56 points clear of Vettel with two races left.
  • Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson is the only driver yet to score this season of those who have started every race.
  • Hamilton has 23 scoring finishes in a row, the longest such run of his career. Raikkonen holds the record of 27. Hamilton and Force India’s Esteban Ocon are the only drivers to have finished every race so far.
  • Verstappen has take more points in the last four races than any other driver.
  • Bottas is only 15 points behind Vettel.

Brazilian Grand Prix

  • Felipe Massa is the last Brazilian to have won his home grand prix. He has not won since his 2008 success and is now the only Brazilian on the grid.
  • Four of the current drivers have won in Brazil: Massa (2008, 2006), Vettel (2010, 2013), Raikkonen (2007), Hamilton (2016).
  • Brazil has been on the calendar since 1973, starting at Interlagos before moving to Rio de Janeiro and then returning to Sao Paulo. The circuit is named after the late Jose Carlos Pace.
  • Hamilton clinched his first title in Brazil in 2008.
  • Pole position has translated into victory 13 times in 34 races in Brazil, although the last four have gone with pole.

Milestones

  • Massa will be competing in his last home grand prix before retiring at the end of the season.
  • It has now been five years since McLaren last won a race, at Interlagos with now-retired Jenson Button in 2012.
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RAIKKONEN: WE NEED TO TIDY UP THINGS AND NOT MAKE MISTAKES

Kimi Raikkonen

Ferrari had all the tools to be successful this season but mistakes and mechanical issue thwarted the team’s title ambitions, according to Kimi Raikkonen who also believes that the Italian team have areas to improve.

Ten years on from his 2007 world championship triumph at Interlagos with Ferrari, the Finn told reporters at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Thursday that the Italian team needed to do better next year.

“As a team, we’ve come a long way from year to year and also from last year, made a good step, obviously not enough for what we want,” Raikkonen said.

”I think we had all the tools this year, we just need to tidy up things and not make mistakes nor have issues on any side, not from our side as drivers or from the team side.

“These are just small things which in the end played a big part this year…but I think we have all the people, we have the tools and we have a great car.”

Mercedes have won the constructors’ title for the fourth year in a row while Lewis Hamilton has wrapped up his fourth drivers’ crown with two races to spare after winning nine of 18 races.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel is second overall and has won four times, including the season-opener in Australia.

Raikkonen made a slower start and has not won a grand prix since he was at Lotus in 2013. He did take pole position in Monaco, his first in nine years.

The Finn remains Ferrari’s most recent world champion, with Vettel taking his four with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, and has a contract for 2018.

Ferrari failed to win a race in 2016 but have had the fastest car at some weekends this season with Vettel leading the championship until the Italian Grand Prix in September.

After Monza the team’s challenge fizzled out with Raikkonen and Vettel colliding in Singapore while engine trouble and a broken spark plug did more damage to the German’s chances in Malaysia and Japan.

“Obviously, the aim is to do better, to fight for wins and championships – that’s, as a team, what we want to do and as a driver I want to do that,” said Raikkonen. “This year, for sure, in many ways could have been better but I guess it can always be worse also.”

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BOTTAS: I CAN’T PUT MYSELF IN A PLACE OF NUMBER TWO

Valtteri Bottas

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas intends to take the initiative in his intra-team battle with teammate Lewis Hamilton next year and prove he deserves to be treated as an equal.

The Finn, who joined the team as an emergency replacement for 2016 Formula 1 world champion German Nico Rosberg in January this year, has committed to Mercedes for another year.

But he told reporters ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix that he has no intention of being seen as a No 2 driver to Hamilton, the four-time world champion who has already taken the 2017 title.

“Even though he is a really, really good driver and very consistent, I also need to believe in myself,” said Bottas. “I can’t put myself in a place of number two, otherwise I would rather stay at home.”

Bottas’s form has been under scrutiny as Mercedes battled to complete a fourth consecutive constructors’ championship and he fought to overhaul German Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and take the runners-up spot in the driver standings.

In his maiden year with the team, Bottas has recorded his first Formula 1 wins and pole positions, but struggled for consistency and to match the form Hamilton in the latter half of the season.

The Briton  has been faster than Bottas in qualifying in 13 of the 18 races and has won nine times while Bottas has won only twice.

Bottas added, “This year I have learned massively and I want to see it as kind of a learning year for me with the team, but starting next year with the people I know it’s going to be quite different and I just need to go for it and learn from all the hard times.”

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RICCIARDO AND TORO ROSSO DRIVERS FACE GRID PENALTIES IN BRAZIL

Daniel Ricciardo

Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo and Toro Rosso rookies Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley are all braced for grid drops at this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

Australian Ricciardo told reporters that he expected to have to take a hit for the penultimate race of the season after engine problems halted his Renault-powered car at the previous round in Mexico.

“I may have to take another penalty. It is likely,” said Ricciardo. “We could maybe avoid it but it is probably going to put us in a risk again of not finishing. We tried to avoid it last weekend and it still didn’t happen. I probably won’t have a big one (penalty), but if it is, it could be like 10 places.”

Ricciardo’s Dutch teammate Max Verstappen has won two of the last four races, including Mexico, while the Australian has suffered a sudden run of reliability problems.

French driver Gasly and his New Zealand teammate also spoke of the likelihood of penalties once Friday practice is out of the way.

“It looks like we will have to start from the back of the grid, which makes it of course pretty difficult. But it is something that we cannot really change,” said Gasly.

Toro Rosso are fighting for sixth place in the constructors’ championship and lead seventh-placed Renault by a mere five points.

The Red Bull junior team are switching from Renault power units to Honda next year.

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MASSA: I AM LEAVING F1 BUT I HOPE THE GRAND PRIX STAYS

Felipe Massa

Felipe Massa hopes his home race, the Brazilian Grand Prix, will stay on the Formula 1 calendar despite a drought of local drivers and uncertainty about the long-term future of the Interlagos circuit.

The 36-year-old Williams driver, winner of 11 grands prix with Ferrari and world championship runner-up in 2008, is retiring at the end of the year.

His departure ends an unbroken line of Brazilian drivers stretching back nearly four decades and comes at a time when Interlagos, which has a contract to host the race to 2020, is up for sale.

“I really hope Formula 1 stays forever in Brazil,” Massa said in a press conference at the atmospheric bowl-like circuit where he last won in 2008.” “Brazil is a very important country for Formula One; so many titles, so many drivers, so many Brazilian drivers raced for Formula One since the start.”

“I really hope Interlagos stays for a very long time in Formula One and anything I can give to help, not racing any more, I can do. It is a very important race.”

Brazil has produced three world champions — Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and the late Ayrton Senna — who won eight titles between them.

There has been a Brazilian driver competing in every championship since 1970 when 1972 and 1974 champion Fittipaldi made his debut.

Before Fittipaldi, there was a 10-year period with no Brazilians and the country’s race dates back only to 1973.

No Brazilian has won a grand prix since Rubens Barrichello in 2009 and Massa has been his country’s sole representative since Felipe Nasr left Sauber at the end of last season.

Massa had also been due to go last year but was recalled in January when his Williams team mate Valtteri Bottas moved to Mercedes following the sudden retirement of 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg.

Sunday will be his last home appearance and penultimate grand prix of his career.

“This time is the last one for sure in Formula One,” Massa said of his second farewell to the home crowd in the space of a year.”

“I‘m really looking forward to another amazing feeling to race at home and really enjoying the track that I grew up (on).”

Massa, who plans to race on in some other as-yet unspecified series, said his best memory of Interlagos was winning with Ferrari in 2006.

“It was like a dream come true for a Brazilian that was always dreaming of being in Formula One, especially in this track,” he said.

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HORNER: VERY ENCOURAGED BY 2021 F1 ENGINE VISION

Christian Horner

While Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes have frowned upon the new Formula 1 engine vision presented to them recently by the sport’s new owners, Haas team principal has applauded the initiative and has now been joined by Red Bull chief Christian Horner who gave the 2021 engine concept a resounding thumbs up.

Horner told Motorsport Magazine, “I came back from the meeting in Paris and I have to say I was very encouraged with what I saw. For once the FIA and FOM were absolutely aligned in what their vision of an engine is for the future. The really encouraging thing for me, it wasn’t so much the specification.”

“I would love to have a V10 or V12, a high screaming naturally aspirated engine. I’m a bit of a dinosaur like that but I accept that we live in a modern world and a V6 turbo engine has been elected. They’ve put a key amount of focus on several factors — one being the sound. It’s got to come back into F1, it’s part of the heritage, the makeup.”

“The other is that for an independent team such as Red Bull is really encouraging is that they want to ensure as a customer you get absolute parity, not just on product but on electronics as well, so electrical settings will have to be homologated. So the FIA will have to say: like for like they’ll have to be the same as on a works car.”

“The other thing is that there’ll be large elements of standardisation of certain components like turbos and perhaps prescriptive design. There’s going to be less variance between engine manufacturers. We have too big a spread at the moment and it puts too much pressure on the chassis side of things.”

“I think the FIA has basically looked at the engine and said: one, it costs too much; two, it’s not delivering from an acoustic point of view; and three, it’s too much of a performance differentiator from the best to the worst and I think they’re really narrowing that gap.”

“As an entrance, your biggest or bigger influence will be on chassis. Obviously, there’s a few engine or works thing that weren’t as happy with that outlay because that’s dumbing down one of the key elements of F1. But I think the drivers are the biggest importance, teams or chassis secondary, and the engine tertiary,” concluded Horner.

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HAMILTON: ROSS BRAWN CONVINCED ME TO JOIN MERCEDES

Ross Brawn, Lewis Hamilton

For many years it was believed that Niki Lauda was the key figure in luring Lewis Hamilton to Mercedes from McLaren, but the Briton has revealed that Ross Brawn was actually the one who convinced him to ditch the team that groomed him to Formula 1 and with whom he won his first of four titles.

Hamilton told Globo, “I love Niki and I have a great relationship with him, but the truth is that it was not Niki who convinced me to go to Mercedes. It was Ross Brawn.”

“He came to my mother’s house, we were having tea in the kitchen and I was like: Why does the guy I have seen on TV leading guys like Schumacher want me on his team? ”

“It didn’t make sense to me… but that was the key day that convinced me to go to Mercedes,” Hamilton explained who since then has claimed another three titles.

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F1 boss Carey rejects Ferrari's NASCAR comparison

F1 boss Carey rejects Ferrari's NASCAR comparison

Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey insists Liberty Media has no wish to turn grand prix racing "into NASCAR", as he responded to Ferrari's criticism of the 2021 engine proposals.

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne last week complained about the increased focus on standardisation in the planned rules, claiming his team could pull out of F1 and saying "I don't want to play NASCAR globally".

Carey is adamant that Liberty still wants differentiation between competing engines and cars, but with closer competition.

"Actually I don't think we have a differing view to Ferrari," Carey said. "I'm not trying to be derogatory to NASCAR, but we don't plan to be NASCAR either.

"We don't want to standardise the cars. We don't want 20 identical cars going round the track, and the only difference is the driver.

"F1 is unique, and it marries up competitive sport to state-of-the-art technology. We want the teams to have the ability to do what they do to create cars that are unique to them - unique engines to them, unique bodies to them.

"But we want to make success dependent on how well you spend your resources within some constraints, versus how much you spend. I think that's a healthier sport.

"And then those that can develop the technologies, develop the capabilities that are better than others, will enable them to succeed."

Carey is adamant that F1 needs to have closer competition and that fans want to see different winners, meaning teams would benefit from rules that made the field more competitive.

"We want teams to compete to win, but we want all the teams to have a chance," he added.

"It's never going to be equal, there are going to be favourites that evolve, but we want the teams to feel that they all have a fighting chance.

"Sports are built on the unexpected, and we do want a sport that can have the unexpected.

"If somebody wins every race every week, at the end of the day, the sport's going to suffer.

"You need competition, you need the unknown, you need great finishes, you need great dramas. We've got to create that.

"That attracts more funds, and realistically that benefits all the teams in the sport. Our first priority is to make this sport much better for us, and the existing teams in it."

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Vandoorne gets McLaren front wing upgrade for Brazil

Vandoorne gets McLaren front wing upgrade for Brazil

Stoffel Vandoorne has confirmed that he will get McLaren’s latest upgraded front wing for the Brazilian Grand Prix, as he sets sights on the team’s most competitive Formula 1 weekend for a while.

Although Vandoorne got to try out the new front wing concept briefly at the United States GP, it has been raced exclusively by Fernando Alonso up until now.

A second package has now been completed for Vandoorne, though, and he is bullish about his prospects after seeing Alonso show encouraging pace in recent races.

“I think they will help me a lot to extract a bit more out of our package,” said Vandoorne. “It is definitely a good step forward.

“I think we have seen also with Fernando’s results, everything is performing as well as expected. Also the direction we have been going with [the upgrades] is quite encouraging for future developments because it opens up much more, actually, than what we currently have.

Fernando Alonso, McLaren MCL32 and Romain Grosjean, Haas F1 Team VF-17 battle Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren MCL32

“Our car has been performing pretty well. We know our strengths, we know our weaknesses and there are still some areas we have to improve. But the concept we are developing now is opening up a lot of opportunities to improve.

“We should be strong in the corners here as well. There is no reason why we will not to be competitive.”

Vandoorne said one the things he is most looking forward to is a weekend where McLaren is not unduly affected by engine change penalties – so it can show the proper potential of its car.

“In the last couple of events we have not really been in the game for qualifying, let’s say, because we have been preparing for the race or had engine penalties," he said.

“Hopefully this weekend, if everything goes smooth, we will have a proper view on that and see where we end up.

"Hopefully we should be one of the closest with Force India and Renault. They have stepped up their game as well, so it will be a very tight battle with them.”

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Horner says 2021 engine plan complaints just "filibustering"

Horner says 2021 engine plan complaints just "filibustering"

ngine plan for 2021 is just "filibustering" and reckons there are commercial issues lurking in the background.

Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault have all expressed doubts, but Horner – as the boss of a high profile customer team – is adamant that the plans are going in the right direction.

He has campaigned for rules that will encourage independent suppliers such as Cosworth and Ilmor to produce engines.

Horner admitted that he was surprised by the negative reaction of the manufacturers, who had been involved in meetings that helped to shape the proposals, but reckons there's a political element to their discontent.

"There's been consultation with all the manufacturers. I don't think there was anything that was presented that was a surprise," Horner told Motorsport.com.

"I'd heard it all before, either in individual consultation, or through what had been discussed in the media.

"What seemed to upset a couple of manufacturers was the press release that came out following the meeting – I think they were upset that it was presented as a fait accompli.

"Inevitably there'll be some filibustering. And I think it's obvious that the commercial side of the proposition is being linked to the technical. So there's a lot of leveraging that inevitably is going on.

"You can see that happening. With Ferrari and Mercedes, sometimes it's hard to recognise which one is which, or who's running which team, but they are particularly aligned."

Horner reckons that, while the plan is not the one he dreamt of, the regulations proposed will create a better product for fans.

"I think the utopia from a personal perspective would have been to go back to normally aspirated, high revving, great sounding engines," Horner said. "But I fully understand the requirement to find a middle ground.

"I actually felt what was presented, whilst it doesn't tick the boxes for everybody at both extremes, was actually a pretty sensible set of proposals and ideology of moving forward.

"Under Ross [Brawn], whose approach has always been to do the analysis and research prior to setting off on a journey, for the first time that I can remember I feel that they've done that.

"They've recruited some good specialists that have done the analysis. From what I saw everything that was presented there was a clear and sensible logic behind it.

"I think ultimately the consumer, i.e. the fan, will end up with a better product – a better sound, more marginal performance differential, a sporting element with the overtake button. I didn't see anything that didn't address the fundamental issues that we are currently experiencing."

Horner urged the sport's new owners to stand firm and follow through with the proposals.

"I just hope that the Liberty guys have got the courage of their convictions to go through with what their research has told them, and I believe they will," he added.

"F1 has a habit of conducting its business through the media, it's all part of the theatre and show that is F1, and part of the intrigue.

"I've been quite impressed with the way they've handled things so far, that they're not rolling over, there are no clandestine discussions and meetings going.

"What their goals and objectives are, are very, very clear."

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Interlagos adds surface grooves to enhance wet-weather safety

Interlagos adds surface grooves to enhance wet-weather safety

The FIA is hoping that new grooves carved into the Interlagos track surface will help to address any potential issues with flooding in this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

The Interlagos race has often been affected by rain – with more forecast for this weekend – and poor drainage has been a regular issue.

As such, six corners have been worked on prior to this year’s event in an attempt to make it easier for the cars to run in wet conditions.

FIA race director Charlie Whiting wrote in his notes to teams: “The apex areas of turns 2 and 12 have been resurfaced.

"Additional grooving of the track has been carried out in places where water was accumulating the most during the race last year, notably in turns 2, 3, 12, 13, 14 and 15.”

He added: “In order to ensure that the grip of the track is more consistent it has been cleaned twice with very high pressure water.”

The FIA has also added some new “sausage kerbs” behind the existing kerbs on the apex of turns 2, 4, 8 and 10.

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Qualifying weakness hiding Lance Stroll's F1 progress - Paddy Lowe

45340c94522af5fb734975b73ee63955.jpg

Williams chief technical officer Paddy Lowe thinks Lance Stroll's struggles in qualifying are disguising the progress he is making as a Formula 1 driver.

Stroll has had some impressive races this year, including a podium finish in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and is ahead of team-mate Felipe Massa in the points standings after Mexico.

But last year's Formula 3 European champion has found it harder to get the best out of the car in qualifying, and has only started ahead of Massa on the grid three times this season - though he did end up on the front row at Monza.

Lowe suggests that qualifying is an area Stroll and his team need to focus on this winter so he can make a step up in 2018.

"It has been a season for Lance that has had good and bad moments, and has been very tough in some periods," explained Lowe.

"But certainly it has been much better in the second half.

"He has settled down, particularly after scoring his first points in Canada, and then getting the podium in Baku.

"He races very much better than he qualifies and I think people look at qualifying as a reflection of a drivers' speed, because it is just very clear and easy to work it out from that.

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"But that doesn't reflect on Lance as perhaps it should, as it is his weaker area.

"He races far better than he qualifies at the moment.

"But then you see glimpses of brilliance on that side with what he did in Monza, so I think he can unlock far better qualifying performances in due course.

"He is aware of that and it is something we are paying attention to."

Lowe explained that Stroll's biggest difficulty was making the step up in pace needed immediately in qualifying for the first runs in each session.

"The trickiest thing which you will see in the numbers is getting going: that first/second run," he said. "Once he gets going he tends to put in good laps.

"You need to remember he is only 19, so there is a lot of stuff to learn and get his head around.

"And qualifying is in some ways a more difficult test than racing because it is so intense."

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BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX: CONSOLATION WIN FOR VETTEL AND FERRARI

Sebastian Vettel, winner

Sebastian Vettel returned top the top step of the podium for the first time since the Hungarian Grand Prix in July when he led the championship, since then his title challenge imploded, thus victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix was welcome to lift the spirits of Ferrari – a much needed and timely consolation for the team.

From second on the grid Vettel squeezed past the Mercedes of pole starter Valtteri Bottas, and simply drove off into the distance, controlling his pace while managing the gap until the chequered flag 71 laps later. He won by just over two seconds but one could assume there was more firepower in the Ferrari had it been required.

Vettel said after his 47th career grand prix win, “Initially I had a very good start but then I had a bit of wheel spin so I thought I had missed my chance. But I think Valtteri was struggling even more off the line so I was able to squeeze down the inside and I think I surprised him a little bit.”

“It was very crucial and after that we were pushing for the remaining laps flat out. I was trying everything to pull a bit of a gap and control the race from there.”

“I’m really happy and for all the people in the team and back at Maranello. They’ve been working so hard and it’s been a tough couple of weeks for us but it’s nice to get it today and have both cars up here,” added the race winner.

Bottas, in second place, was the meat in the Ferrari sandwich with Kimi Raikkonen claiming third place.

The Mercedes driver slithered off the line and that tardy start is what cost him possible victory, because the pace he and Vettel had was pretty much the same throughout the race.

Mercedes tried the undercut with Bottas’ pitstop but the effort failed to impact the race – which ended in a true stalemate.

Bottas summed up on the podium, “I didn’t want to be sandwiched. We started from pole so the only goal was to win the race. It’s very disappointing we lost in the race start. After that it was very close between them. I was trying to put pressure on Sebastian but it didn’t lead to anything more.”

It was a similar story for Raikkonen, who was third into Turn 1 after the start and that is where he remained until the end, with a late charge from Lewis Hamilton the only real disruption to a pretty mundane afternoon for the the veteran Ferrari driver.

Raikkonen said afterwards, “I had a little bit tricky balance in the first set of tyres but it improved over the first run and the second set the car handled very well. I could catch up with the guys but it’s impossible to get past here if you have this close a speed between cars. Lewis got close to me, I got close to Sebastian and Valtteri but I wasn’t too worried. I had a good run out of the last corner.”

Hamilton, who crashed out during qualifying and had to start at the wrong side of the grid, starting from the pitlane he stormed through the field to finish fourth and in the process giving Raikkonen a scare in the final laps when the Mercedes driver loomed large in his mirrors.

But Hamilton’s tyres were done and it was a bridge too far, but impressive enough to earn the World Champion the ‘Driver of the Day’ accolade as voted for by the fans.

“It was fun. It felt reminiscent of my karting days when I always started at the back. I messed up yesterday and put myself in the worst possible position. I was quick enough to win the race from pole to the flag and I didn’t do that so I made the job a lot harder,” said Hamilton after the race.

Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo were fifth and sixth respectively, the Dutchman having an uncharacteristically subdued race while the Australian did well to recover from 14th on the grid and a first lap melee to make it to the finish where he did.

But the truth is that Red Bull simply did not have the ammo on a weekend that Renault power was well down on Mercedes and Ferrari – the French manufacturer enduring the biggest performance deficit so far this season to their rivals.

Felipe Massa will always remember his (real) final grand prix on home soil in which he was forced to work hard in front of his home crowd, with Fernando Alonso doing all he could in the final stages to get the McLaren ahead of the Williams, while Force India’s Sergio Perez stalked the pair ready to pounce had an opportunity presented itself.

But Massa held firm and invariably the following sprang to mind: “Felipe you are faster than Fernando… Can you confirm you understood that message?”

In the end less than a second separated the trio as they crossed the line with Massa in seventh, Alonso eighth and Perez ninth. Nico Hulkenberg claimed the final point for Renault in tenth, finishing one place ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz.

Blow-By-Blow

At the start, Vettel snatched the lead ahead of Bottas, with the German sneaking through on the inside past the Finn. Further back Magnussen collided with Vandoorne, who was in turn pitched into the side of Ricciardo’s Red Bull. The Dane and the Belgian were forced out of the race but the Australian was able to continue.

There was more drama to come. A few corners later, Grosjean tangled with Ocon, with the result that the Force India driver was forced to retire.

That brought out the safety, which remained on course until the end of lap five. When the action resumed Vettel held his lead ahead of Bottas with Räikkönen third and Verstappen fourth.

Hamilton, though, was on a march and after starting from the pit lane due to repairs needed after qualifying crash, the Briton was already up to ninth place on lap 10. Ricciardo too was advancing and by the same tour he had made his way from 17th place to 14th, behind Stroll. He was quickly dismissed, along with Ericsson and by lap 12 the Australian was 12th.

Hamilton too was continuing to stride forward and on lap 14 he overtook Perez to take seventh place. That put him 15.2 seconds adrift of race leader Vettel, who was two seconds clear of Bottas and a further two ahead of Räikkönen.

By lap 21 Hamilton had muscled his to way to fifth place, 10 seconds behind Verstappen and was continuing to gain ground as the Dutchman began to complain of rear tyres wear on his starting set of supersofts. At the front, Vettel was losing ground to Bottas, with the Finn now 1.7s seconds behind the German.

Bottas was the first of frontrunners to Pit on lap 27 for soft tyres and he was followed a lap later by Vettel who responded to the undercut attempt. Verstappen and Raikkonen too made their stop for tyres and on lap 31 Hamilton, who had yet to stop, was promoted to the race lead.

Three seconds behind him was Vettel, with the German now enjoying a 2.7 seconds advantage over Bottas. Räikkönen held fourth ahead of Verstappen and Ricciardo, who had not yet pitted, Massa and Alonso.

Hamilton and Ricciardo finally pitted to change their starting supersofts on lap 44, with both taking on supersoft tyres. Vettel was promoted back into the lead, 2.5 seconds ahead of Bottas, with Räikkönen a further two seconds behind. Verstappen was now fourth, 4.1 behind Räikkönen and 7.3 seconds ahead of Hamilton. Massa now found himself sixth ahead of Ricciardo and Alonso.

The question now was how far Hamilton would be able to advance and his race engineer offered a clue by telling the four-time champion that he was battling for a podium place. That meant he would need to pass Verstappen and find the 10 seconds necessary to get him onto third-placed Räikkönen’s gearbox.

He swiftly began to close on Verstappen who was complaining his tyres felt “like rocks” and by lap 59 the gap had been erased almost entirely. The Red Bull driver defended well through the Senna S at the start of the lap, but he couldn’t resist Hamilton’s pace and the Mercedes man swept past on the straight before Turn 4 to claim fourth place. He now targeted Räikkönen who was 4.8 seconds ahead and with five laps remaining he closed to within DRS range of the Ferrari.

Räikkönen though was alive to the threat and kept Hamilton at bay over the closing laps.

Ahead Vettel took his 47th career victory in relative comfort with Bottas second. Räikkönen took his 91st career podium finish ahead of Hamilton while Verstappen, in fifth, led home team-mate Ricciardo.

Massa ended his final Brazilian Grand Prix with an excellent run to seventh place, the hometown hero finishing ahead of Alonso and Perez. The final point on offer went to Hulkenberg.

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