2011 Brazilian Grand Prix

prisonermonkeys

prisonermonkeys

Be Fearless
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The end is not simply near - it's here. The final race of of a season dominated by Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull is almost upon us, arguably from one of Formula 1's most brilliant venues: Interlagos.

Round XIX of the 2011 FIA Formula 1 World Championship is ...

GRANDE PRÊMIO PETROBAS do BRASIL
from the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil

interlagos.jpg




Seven-day forecast:
Showers expected all week.
Moderate temperatures (18-25°C) predicted through to Sunday

Lap Record ~ 1:11.473
(Juan Pablo Montoya, Williams-BMW, 2004)

2010 Results:
1st ~ Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault)
2nd ~ Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault)
3rd ~ Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)

2011 standings (after eighteen races):
1st ~ Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) ~ 374 points
2nd ~ Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes) ~ 255 points
3rd ~ Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) ~ 245 points
4th ~ Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) ~ 233 points
5th ~ Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) ~ 227 points
6th ~ Felipe Massa (Ferrari) ~ 108 points
7th ~ Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) ~ 83 points
8th ~ Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) ~ 76 points
9th ~ Vitaly Petrov (Renault) ~ 36 points
10th ~ Nick Heidfeld (Renault) ~ 34 points

The championship might have been settled six weeks ago, but there are still several tight battles up and down the grid. Jenson Button is by no means secure in second place, but Mark Webber is chasing down Alonso for third. Further down the grid, Sauber have just a one-point advantage over Toro Rosso, and while Force India trail Renault by fifteen points, Renault are floundering having failed to score a point since Japan and failing to have both cars in the points since China. It will take a gargantuan effort, but Renault can be caught.

Elsewhere the big question surrounds who will be making their final appearance on the grid. Interlagos could well be the final race for Adrian Sutil, Rubens Barrichello, Bruno Senna, Jerome d'Ambrosio, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Pastor Maldonado and at least one of the Toro Rosso drivers. Hispania's overnight signing of Pedro de la Rosa means that at least one driver will line up on the grid for the final time (for the forseeable future) in Brazil.​
 
Money on Maldonado?

Even if the championship has long since been decided... I'm excited. This track has produced some exciting racing over the past two or three years, and with KERS and DRS, it should be epic.
 
I'm just hoping Hamilton follows up last races performance with another win.

We can all dream...

Edit: I see Niko Rosberg could mathmatically match Massa! Of course, he needs to win, and for Massa to DC.
 
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Pedro de la Rosa signing for HRT? What was he thinking? He's going to be nowhere next year....
 
Nice picture on the opening post, showing also the old layout from this once legendary high-speed track... still very nice despite having being cut much shorter with most of the high-speed turns removed.

Interlagos_1979.jpg


Here is the 2011 trophy:

trofeu_gp_brasil_2011.jpg
 
Hoping McLaren can carry over some of that momentum from Yas Marina, but more likely Vettel will run off with this one too. I'll take a McLaren 2-3 though.

I forget-for what it's worth, can Vettel match or surpass either Mansell's qualifying record or Schumacher's wins record?

Odds Massa finishes 5th place or better?
 
YellowG1
Hoping McLaren can carry over some of that momentum from Yas Marina, but more likely Vettel will run off with this one too. I'll take a McLaren 2-3 though.
Click to expand...

Without Vettel's retirement, they were looking at second and fourth.

YellowG1
I forget-for what it's worth, can Vettel match or surpass either Mansell's qualifying record or Schumacher's wins record?
Click to expand...

He beat Mansell's "laps lead in a season" record in India and tied with Mansell's pole position record in Abu Dhabi. Had it not been for the tyre failure, he would be on his way to matching Schumacher's wins in a season record.

And people still think he has something to prove...
 
Very sad to see the end of the season already. At least we're going out with a bang.

Interlagos, what a track!!
 
If Webber wins, and Button doesn't score any points, then he can clinch 2nd place, which is something Mark and Red Bull would certainly want. Hopefully they'll give the finger some team orders, or put all their effort behind Mark, so that he can have himself a flawless weekend. Even then, it's all up to his start.
 
Predicted rain, a good ingredient for a good race. I expect rain in this race, at least RB doesn't have the upper hand in wet situations.

All my expectations goes towards Button/Massa, I'm not sure but maybe Massa will show some performance this weekend.
 
I don't know if RBR will go for "team orders" here... nor if they'll do anything that'll keep Vettel from going after that pole record.

I expect a good race and a tight fight... That awesome downhill section should make for a very exciting first few laps... wonder if they'll do a double DRS? One on the front straight, one on the back after the downhill complex?
 
Peter.
If Webber wins, and Button doesn't score any points, then he can clinch 2nd place, which is something Mark and Red Bull would certainly want. Hopefully they'll give the finger some team orders, or put all their effort behind Mark, so that he can have himself a flawless weekend. Even then, it's all up to his start.
Click to expand...

I doubt they will use team orders. Mark said at the Indian Grand Prix that he isn't interested in that.
 
RodrigoDLL
Nice picture on the opening post, showing also the old layout from this once legendary high-speed track... still very nice despite having being cut much shorter with most of the high-speed turns removed.

Interlagos_1979.jpg
Click to expand...


Oooh, that track looks quite amazing to try it out! I guess it was just a bit too fast and too long for the current cars? It would have been interesting to see if it would create more overtaking moves with the old style layout.
 


Epic was it was, there were a few problems with Interlagos '79. For one, the circuit is surrounded by residential areas, and there is virtually no run-off on the high-speed perimeter. There are also a few places around the circuit - Retao/Reta Oposta and Ferradura/Estacionamento for example - where the cars travel at extremely high speeds in oncoming directions.
 
Aw man! I can't see the FINAL RACE live! The broadcast starts at 11:45pm (GMT +8) and I have school the next day! :grumpy:
 
prisonermonkeys


Epic was it was, there were a few problems with Interlagos '79. For one, the circuit is surrounded by residential areas, and there is virtually no run-off on the high-speed perimeter. There are also a few places around the circuit - Retao/Reta Oposta and Ferradura/Estacionamento for example - where the cars travel at extremely high speeds in oncoming directions.
Click to expand...


Retao/Reta Oposta are at different levels... the old "Retao" is some meters higher than "Oposta". Ferradura/Estacionamento are on the same level, but looking on google maps, there would be enough space for F1 spec run off areas, since "Ferradura" has a small kink on its entrance and is not very high speed anyway.

About the lack of space for run off on the high-speed perimeter, the old track already had some banking, wich could be increased. It would make a Indy style outer section, turns 1 and 2 would be like that.
Only place in need for better run-off would be turn 3. That would be expensive, although possible to make. Another option is slightly reprofile turn 3 to make some kind of "S" shaped corner, with earlier turn-in.

For the ones curious, I am pretty sure there is a 79 version of the track on rFactor, with videos up on Youtube...

Sorry for the off-topic... not much to comment about the race yet, right?
 
prisonermonkeys

Interlagos could well be the final race for Adrian Sutil, Rubens Barrichello, Bruno Senna, Jerome d'Ambrosio, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Pastor Maldonado and at least one of the Toro Rosso drivers.​
Click to expand...

How dare you!
 

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