Brazilian GP - RaceFelipe Massa dominated the Brazilian Grand Prix to take an emotional home victory, the first for a Brazilian on home soil since the late Ayrton Senna won in 1993. It was also a great day for
Fernando Alonso who took the chequered flag in second position
and clinched his second straight title while Renault wrapped up the constructors’ championship.
It was a thrilling conclusion to the year with
Michael Schumacher putting in a stunning final drive to work his way back from flat last following a left rear cut tyre, to a fighting fourth position less than five seconds behind
Jenson Button who also put in a fine drive for Honda.
It was a dramatic finale but out front, Massa dominated his home event from Pole Position and Schumacher aside, no one else could have beaten him to the victory today. For Alonso, it was a day of ensuring he took the title with minimal risks. Starting fourth he was soon ahead of
Jarno Trulli who hit problems in his Toyota and took second from
Kimi Raikkonen during the pit stops.
Alonso had to work hard to maintain his second position during the final stint of the race as Button was looking to take the position should Alonso make the slightest slip. Starting 14th, Button made a good start and was soon in the top ten. With some attrition ahead of him he found himself fifth mid race and some good strategy and slick pit work from the Honda crew moved him ahead of Raikkonen and
Giancarlo Fisichella in his final stop.
Fourth position for
Michael Schumacher does not tell the take of his final Grand Prix. Starting tenth Schumacher was quickly up with Fisichella in sixth position. A daring pass around the outside into turn one and suddenly the Ferrari jinked as the left rear Bridgestone deflated.
Schumacher made it back to the pits and with a fresh set of tyres was soon back underway in 17th position a full 20s behind next man
Tiago Monteiro. The fastest man lap after lap Schumacher left his second and final stop until late in the race and exited the pits for the final time ahead of Pedro de la Rosa who would go on to finish eighth.
Schumacher made short work of former Ferrari team-mate and then homed in on Fisichella once again. The Renault driver held Schumacher back for some time but finally the Italian made a mistake as he locked his front left wheel on the approach to turn one and ran wide. Next Schumacher homed in on Raikkonen and again fought hard to gain the position with a handful of laps remaining. Schumacher would set the fastest lap on his penultimate tour and take the chequered flag five seconds behind Button.
Kimi Raikkonen finished fifth in his McLaren Mercedes after a solid if quiet final outing for the squad while Fisichella did a great job holding back Schumacher when required for Renault and finished in sixth position ahead of
Rubens Barrichello in the second Honda.
Pedro de la Rosa was one of few drivers to opt for a one stop strategy. Despite a mid-race scare when he found non-other than Takuma Sato closing on him fast, the strategy seemed to work and he picked up the final point for eighth position after starting 12th.
BMW Sauber and Toyota held a one point advantage over Toyota ahead of the Grand Prix and neither team would finish in the points.
Jarno Trulli and
Ralf Schumacher started third and seventh both soon took to the pits suffering with the same rear damper problem. Race over for Toyota.
Robert Kubica survived a tough race to finish ninth in his BMW Sauber despite some contact with Scott Speed mid race. Team-mate
Nick Heidfeld was not as lucky as he and
Ralf Schumacher made contact on lap one which damaged his front wing end plate. Later in the race the F1.06 seemed to suffer a left rear suspension failure under braking for turn one. Heidfeld stepped out of the car and his race was over.
Takuma Sato drove a great race, easily the best of the season for the Super Aguri Honda team. The Japanese racer finished in tenth position ahead of Scott Speed, Robert Doornbos, Tonio Liuzzi,
Christijan Albers,
Tiago Monteiro and Sakon Yamamoto.
Williams Cosworth had a tough final race with Nico Rosberg running into the back of Mark Webber on lap one. Webber cruised back to the pits minus his rear wing and retired while Rosberg had a massive crash on the banked left hander approaching the main straight after something failed at the front end of the FW27. A sad end for Cosworth in Formula One.
Back at the front and a well-deserved win from Felipe Massa who maintains his third place in the championship ahead of
Giancarlo Fisichella. A great final race in what was a great season and a stunning career from
Michael Schumacher. Roll on 2007
Earl ALEXANDER © CAPSIS International
