Brazilian GP 2012 - Race Thread

[Rob]

same here Suzie. Very emotional.

[stefa]

Seb had best car since Newey changed the rear end and front wing. Anyway...

Cards just didnt fall for us today. So happy and emotional to see Felipe 3rd on podium at his home race. Fantastic drive by him, running tail gunner to Fernando if needed. Team went the right way with strategy, would of been massive risk by leaving Nando out on slicks on totally throwing chance away in the barriers. Same the wind tunnel wasnt on our side this year and came up short, but things going to change and will next year, have faith 120% in next years car

What can i say about Fernando? Just grazie per il grande anno e scusa per mancanza del titolo

Im not angry, yeah im upset, but we are Ferrari, i dont want see sackings as that just makes team instablility and messes up the relationships in team as they are starting to go in right direction. Im just so proud at the year we have had and how we finished, 2nd WDC 2nd WCC, and both drivers on podium in finale.

Forza Ferrari

We know who is the true WDC Fernando.

We all know that R&D is thy key in this game called modern Formula 1.
Ferrari needs to focus more on that area. I am there with you not to sack people and to make some rush, knee breaking decision, but something needs to be done...
And my apologize for bad language earlier

[varun]

We all know that R&D is thy key in this game called modern Formula 1.
Ferrari needs to focus more on that area. I am there with you not to sack people and to make some rush, knee breaking decision, but something needs to be done...
And my apologize for bad language earlier

we cant think again that we are developing a good car..
it has to show on track....and Mr.SD should stop being so cool all the time...

[Ferrari_Fanatic]

instead of trying to buy Birmingham fc flavio should be with us!

[Rob]

And my apologize for bad language earlier

thats ok, just dont do it again.

[stefa]

thats ok, just dont do it again.

I've got carried away. Won't happen again. Promise!

[FFFerrari]

instead of trying to buy Birmingham fc flavio should be with us!

There is only one thing that could make me stop supporting Ferrari and that is Briatore joining the team.

[Alessandra]

Taken me hours to just get on the site - all the world must be on-line!

What to say?
Felipe’s best driving of the year and very helpful to Fernando.

For Fernando? Words fail. As they seemed to do for Nelson Piquet who surprised me with his kind consideration of Fernando’s feelings on the podium.

Otherwise, it’s the same old, same old. The car just isn’t good enough. You can win the odd race – with physical and incredible mental strength, superb race craft, a bit of luck here and there, a good team around you. But in the present climate, with so many talented (and wild) drivers on the grid and many of them in competitive cars it’s not possible in a car that puts you, at best, in 5th place on the start grid.

And we managed to retain 2nd place in the constructors’ title! Amazing!

No-one, absolutely no-one, could have done better. Fernando Alonso is F1 Driver of the Year and probably the most emotionally and mentally exhausted at the moment.

Just one more thing, was LdM there to support the team?

[Nick Singer]

Congratulations VET, World Champion!
Congratulations ALO, driver of the year for sure!
Thanks for a great season and roll on 2013...

[Rob]

So very close11.25.2012

Interlagos, 25 November – Scuderia Ferrari has finished the Constructors’ Championship in second place, Fernando Alonso is second in the Drivers’ classification and Felipe Massa is seventh. That is how the 2012 season will be archived but it does not even scratch the surface of explaining the drama of this final race weekend of the year. Fernando Alonso said a chaotic race would be his best chance of getting his hands on the title crown and he got just that with intermittent rain falling throughout the afternoon. The Ferrari man also admitted that unless Sebastian Vettel retired, being champion was very unlikely. He was proved right, because, while the Spaniard delivered yet another superb performance to finish the race second behind the winner, McLaren’s Jenson Button, however with the German bringing home his Red Bull in sixth place, it was enough to give him his third consecutive Drivers’ title. There was plenty of red on the Interlagos podium because Felipe Massa also delivered a beautiful performance to come home third, in a race where just staying on track was an achievement.

As the cars formed up, the skies were grey but just a few tiny drops fell on the grid. However, about three minutes before the warm up lap, it could be described as very light rain, although all 24 cars were resolutely on slicks. As the lights went out, Felipe immediately got the better of Button to lie second behind pole man Hamilton and at the end of the first lap, the McLaren retook second place as Alonso got by his team mate and Webber at the Senna “S” to chase the two McLarens, with Felipe now sixth as Hulkenberg and Webber got past him. Vettel, was caught up as others braked early and he spun colliding with Senna, which dropped him to 20th.

On lap 5 Fernando ran very wide which allowed Hulkenberg to get ahead of him and Webber to close right up to the Ferrari. Felipe got ahead of the Australian which thus protected Fernando as the Spaniard re-established his pace. Webber then spun on lap 7 one lap after Button swept past his team-mate to take the lead. Vettel? He was back up to eleventh by lap 7, as the two McLarens continued to fight, swapping places at the front of the field, with Hamilton back in front on lap 8. Behind them, Hulkenberg was third in the Force India 2.2 behind, with Fernando 5.5 further back in fourth, and Felipe fifth, 3.4 behind his team-mate. Vettel was up to sixth trailing the Brazilian by 3.0.

Lap 10 saw Hamilton and Alonso both pit for intermediate rain tyres, followed by Vettel and Di Resta. Two laps later, the rain began to ease as Button led Hulkenberg with Hamilton third ahead of Felipe, who had Vergne in the Toro Rosso behind him. Kovalainen in the Caterham had gone from twentieth to sixth behind Fernando. The Spaniard passed his team mate to take fourth on lap 14. He was 17 seconds behind Hamilton, with Button and Hulkenberg at the front yet to pit. Felipe and Vergne came in for intermediates on lap 15 the Brazilian dropping to 14th when he rejoined.

By lap 17, Hulkenberg was right up on leader Button’s tail, as they were the only men to have managed to stay out on slick tyres since the start. Lap 18 and there was a rush to return to slicks, with Alonso, Kobayashi, Rosberg and Di Resta all doing it, as Hulkenberg got ahead of Button to lead the Grand Prix on lap 19. Vettel pitted next time round, Red Bull doing a double stop as Webber followed, as did Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Felipe, Glock, Petrov and Kovalainen.

Lap 21 and Hulkenberg set a fastest lap while Fernando was fourth ahead of Vettel, with Felipe eleventh as the Safety Car came out on lap 22 so that debris could be cleared from the track, after Rosberg punctured. Hulkenberg and Button finally came in for a tyre change, which meant they maintained their places at the head of the field. On lap 26 as the lapped cars were allowed to pass the SC it seemed there was rain again at Turn 4. Lap 29 and the SC finally pulled in so the race was on again with the top eleven cars all nose to tail on slicks on a damp track! Vettel was caught out and dropped to sixth, while in front on lap 30, as Hulkenberg pulled away, Hamilton again got past his team-mate. Fernando was fourth, but behind the Ferrari, Kobayashi had got ahead of Vettel. Then the Sauber man also managed to get in front of the Spaniard, who regained the position at the start of lap 33. Felipe meanwhile had moved up to seventh and then passed Vettel for sixth on lap 34. Felipe, having stayed out a long time on slicks which cost him time, was charging now and on lap 37 he took fifth place off Kobayashi and the Brazilian was three seconds behind his team-mate. More light rain came around lap 43, mainly in Sector 1. The two Ferraris were having a lonely race at this point, with Fernando 5.6 behind third placed Button and Felipe a further 4.9 behind. Meanwhile Hamilton had relegated Hulkenberg to second when the Force India half spun on lap 49.

Vettel pitted from seventh on lap 52, which dropped him to tenth. Lap 55 and Hulkenberg tried to attack Hamilton which resulted in them colliding at turn 1. As conditions worsened, Kobayashi, Schumacher and Vettel returned to the pits to fit intermediates. Felipe did the same on lap 55, as did Webber. Vettel’s crew had not been ready and he had a long stop. Fernando, now third came in for Inters on 56, rejoining fourth. Button had been leading and he made the change to Inters on lap 57 followed by Hulkenberg, who unlike Hamilton was able to continue after their collision. At this point, Felipe was third ahead of Fernando thanks to a well timed switch to intermediates for the Brazilian, with Vettel going seventh as Di Resta ahead of him pitted. Hulkenberg lost his position when he had to take a drive through penalty on lap 58, for his collision with the McLaren. The Ferrari were now second and third, the Brazilian ahead of the Spaniard, as the rain intensified.

On lap 62 of 71, Fernando passed his team-mate to lie 21 seconds behind leader Button. The Englishman had an unassailable lead by now and Fernando’s title hopes could only depend on a misfortune for Vettel. Nothing happened, except that a late crash for Di Resta in the Force India meant the last race of the year actually ended behind the Safety Car.

The final figures tell the story: Vettel 281, Alonso 278: just three little points at the end of 20 Grands Prix. In the Constructors, another second place: Red Bull Racing 460, Scuderia Ferrari 400.

[varun]

wonder what Webber must be feeling ..........??
3 titles for his crybaby team mate????
and he is nowhere near...
must be frustrating for him too
i hope he also comes and attacks vettel more from the start...

[Mrs Alonso]

I am so unbelievably proud to have supported Ferrari and Fernando for so many years. Now they are together it just makes it so much more special. I don't think any other team provokes this kind of feeling amongst its supporters.

[Jas]

was good seeing alonso with a trail of cars behind him in the early part of the Gp while mmassa was trying to fend off 5 cars, mainly webber for alonso to get a gap! VERY VERY good driving....we will have them, dont you worry guys!

[Greig]

wonder what Webber must be feeling ..........??
3 titles for his crybaby team mate????
and he is nowhere near...
must be frustrating for him too
i hope he also comes and attacks vettel more from the start...

He was in 2010, he was also beating Seb this year till the little boy wonder got his diffuser blowing back.

[Rob]

He was in 2010, he was also beating Seb this year till the little boy wonder got his diffuser blowing back.

SV stamped his lil feet and Newey and Co changed the rear end. Poor Mark was then looking at 2011 again. Up till then Mark was driving better, with the rear sliding abit.

[GamD]

instead of trying to buy Birmingham fc flavio should be with us!

I would rather drown in vomit

[Pekka]

Congrats to Vettel & Red Bull for a well deserved title. If Fernando had won it I would have said exactly the same thing to him. He kept this titlerace open till the very last possible moment. Also Congratulations to Ferrari for 2nd in WCC. Truly outstanding concidering where the car was at the beginning of the season. Kimi also 3rd in WDC standings feels nice having had the 7th best car.

[RED]

Very proud to be a Ferrari supporter today! We fought right till the end and came 3 points behind the best car of the season. It was great to see both of our drivers on the podium! Forza Ferrari!

From Fernando's FB page....

[Senna4Ever]

He was in 2010, he was also beating Seb this year till the little boy wonder got his diffuser blowing back.

Well done, absolutely correct.
And this will last as long as Marko has something to say at RedBull as Vettel is "his" boy.
And of course I can not prove it but in 2010 RB sacrificed Webber for Vettel at the last race even he was in the better position in terms of points.

Vettel complained right now in Austrian TV that Massa was holding him massively and that they (Ferrari) put stones into his way. What is this guy talking about? No matter how this boy really driving, he won't aim character as other great drivers like Prost, Senna, Nigel, ...

As I wasn't able to watch the race 'til the end how did our boys behave as it was clear that we lost it by three points? Have they been fair losers? Nothing worse than unfair loser.
Unfortunately we are not able to see how the smiling cat behaves when he looses all. This divides heroes from zeroes.

As it was a hard season I wish the team can take a week off and than work on the car 2013 on full power and full obligation.
Thanks to the Team and the Drivers ... too bad that Felipe just awakens too late this season but that was a strong promise for more ... As Fernando told: we didn't lost it here in Brazil.

[Red passion]

Hulk should not have been penalised

[Suzie]

[Rob]

great pictures Suzie, love the first 1.

[Mrs Alonso]

Felipe and Dudu look more alike every day.

[Forzi]

Thanks Suzie. Made my eyes watery there

[Massimo]

My eyes start to water again, che emozione.

[Forzi]

Dear god, when the day comes, when Felipe will have to leave the sport i'll be crying like a lil girl

How can you not love the lad?

[Giallo 550]

Wonderful pictures. Extremely heartwarming.

[Suzie]

Felipe and Dudu look more alike every day.

Both baldy

[Massimo]

Vettel:"Qualcuno ha cercato di usare sporchi trucchi, certe cose che dal nostro punto di vista erano oltre il limite. Ma noi non abbiamo mai perso la concentrazione e abbiamo spinto fino alla fino".
"Some used dirty tricks, tricks, that in our vision, were beyond the limit, but we never lost our concentration and we pushed 'till the end" He was referring to Massa's "gearbox change in Austin"

He doesn't know how to loose, and for sure not how to win, like we say in Italy "lo stile no si compra sul mercato" "stile/class is not something you can buy at the market".

[Senna4Ever]

"Some used dirty tricks, tricks, that in our vision, were beyond the limit, but we never lost our concentration and we pushed 'till the end"

Similar nonsense in german interviews ...
Like I mentioned above in my previous posting ...

He is far away from being a real champ and a legend ... how many titles he will win ...