Jerez, Day Three: Massa surges to fastest time as Mercedes bounce back in style

Felipe Massa took Ferrari's F138 to the top of the timesheet for the first time on Day Three of the Jerez test but potentially the most significant development of the day was Mercedes' return to reliability.

With both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg denied any lengthy track time on the opening two days of the test, Mercedes entered the third day of running in southern Spain under pressure and desperate for mileage after putting just 29 on the clock through Tuesday and Wednesday.
However, Day Three witnessed what can only be described as an empathatic turnaround as Nico Rosberg racked up a mammoth 148 laps behind the wheel - nearly the equivalent of two race distances - to surely calm some of the hysteria that accompanied the Brackley team's early troubles.
"To drive the distance from Silverstone to Spa in one day with no problems whatsoever is a fantastic achievement from the team," declared Rosberg. "I'm very happy with today and I think it was probably a personal record for me to do almost 150 laps."
In a further plus, the car's pace also impressed with Rosberg finishing second on the timesheet.
"I can push the car and feel comfortable - but obviously we still have plenty of work to do to continue improving," added the German.
Yet Rosberg's fastest lap of 1:18.776 lap was still nearly a second slower than Massa's as Ferrari made their own big statement on Thursday.
On a short run on the soft tyres during the late morning, the Brazilian, on his final appearance of the week, clocked what stands as the fastest time seen around the twisty Jerez circuit this winter - 1:17.879 - and was never headed thereafter.
Triple World Champion Sebastian Vettel made his first appearance of the winter on Day Three and his maiden session in the RB9 went smoothly as he took third place, the German one of three drivers to break the 100-lap barrier as Red Bull's encouraging start to the winter continued unchecked.
"It was great to get back in the car, to get rid of the rust and to get back in the groove again," said Sebastian. "The first feeling is good and the car is working well. It's difficult to judge the speed, but in terms of reliability it looks pretty good.

Kimi Raikkonen was another high-profile driver behind the wheel for the first time since Brazil last November but the 2007 World Champion experienced something of a bitty return with only 40 laps posted in all.
While early-morning aero runs and general work in the garage to ensure the Finn was comfortable in the E21 meant he wasn't initially seen on track that often, with Alan Permane confirming that "the car isn't yet fully to Kimi's liking", Raikkonen still managed to show another glimpse of the car's pace mid-way through the afternoon with a shorter run that took him to fourth.
However, the first sign of falability from Lotus in 2013, which centred around problems with the car's clutch, meant he had to sit out the final two hours.
Fifth went to Jean-Eric Vergne at the end of his first day in the Toro Rosso STR8, despite at one point stopping at the end of the pitlane, with Force India tester James Rossiter recovering from an early tangle with one of his own mechanics in the pitlane to claim sixth on his morning in the VJM06.
After opening the test with the fastest time on Day One, Jenson Button couldn't repeat the feat on his return to the cockpit of the MP4-28 and his best time on Thursday was actually three tenths slower than he managed two days before.
However, McLaren were clearly working on other things and three long runs towards the end of the day brought what had been a meagre lap total up to a satisfactory 83, Button's final stint totalling 19 laps.
On a week of debuts, Mexican youngster Esteban Gutierrez became the latest one-time GP2 to christen his F1 career - the new Sauber driver putting 110 more miles on the C32.
Reliability problems weren't confined to the top teams, however, with both Caterham's Charles Pic and Force India's Paul di Resta - due to an exhaust failure that terminated his afternoon running - also losing valuable track time.
Jerez Day Three Timesheet
1. Felipe Massa, 1:17.879, 85 laps
2. Nico Rosberg, 1:18.766, 148 laps
3. Sebastian Vettel, 1:19.052, 102 laps
4. Kimi Raikkonen, 1:19.200, 40 laps
5. Jean-Eric Vergne, 1:19.247, 85 laps
6. James Rossiter, 1:19.303, 42 laps
7. Jenson Button, 1:19.603, 83 laps
8. Esteban Gutierrez, 1:19.934, 110 laps
9. Max Chilton, 1:21.269, 78 laps
10. Valtteri Bottas, 1:21.575, 86 laps
11. Charles Pic, 1:22.352, 57 laps
12. Paul di Resta, 1:23.729, 7 laps.
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/8477856/Jerez-Day-Three-Massa-surges-to-fastest-time-for-Ferrari-as-Mercedes-bounce-back-in-style

Romain Grosjean admits using psychologist in a bid to overcome spate of crashes

Romain Grosjean has revealed that he sought help from a psychologist in a bid to overcome the spate of crashes he caused last season.

Although the Lotus driver showed a genuine turn of pace in his first full Formula 1 season and scored three podium finishes, he was also involved in a number of incidents - particularly at the start of races.

Infamously, Grosjean triggered a spectacular multi-car pile-up at the first corner of the Belgian Grand Prix for which he picked up a one-race ban.
The 26-year-old Frenchman returned vowing to improve, but not before causing another collision at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix for which Mark Webber branded him a "first-lap nutcase".
Grosjean had already started seeing a psychologist by then and after a protracted period of discussions with Lotus bosses and team owners Genii Capital, a contract extension was announced shortly before Christmas.
Summing up his 2012 season in an interview with Sky Sports F1 at the launch of Lotus's new car on Monday, Grosjean told Ted Kravitz: "I don't think it went entirely the way I wanted. We had too many incidents. We had good results - quicker than I was expecting - but maybe I wanted a little bit too much.
"(It was) not an easy end of the season but I think I've learnt how to put everything together for this year. We know that there won't be any more chances so I'll have to deliver what the team want.
"It's not a secret that I started work with a psychologist in September last year and it went very well during the winter. I had a lot of discussion with Genii, the owner, to try to help them understand and take the right decision. And when they called me to say, 'Okay we go again for one more year' I was more than happy."
Lotus's Eric Boullier said they gave Grosjean all the support they could in the wake of his ban, which was served at the Italian Grand Prix.

The Team Principal is confident that the former GP2 champion will emerge as a reformed character in 2013 but stressed that more is required of him.
"We had a couple of issues with Romain. The 2012 season didn't exactly match the expectation we had from him," Boullier said.
"If we had to continue with Romain, we would be comfortable that he would have understood that we wanted what I was expecting from him.
"Since he got his ban last year, we had pretty intensive discussions together, a lot of change around him and a lot of support needed for him to understand. He had to find out by himself what to expect.
"He won every Championship he participated in before, so he knows what it is to win races and win Championships. But I think the way he handled Formula 1 in 2012 was maybe not the most efficient one and he got lost somewhere.
"We believe he has some speed, some potential, so we had to make sure he understood everything we are expecting from him."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12473/8456302/Romain-Grosjean-admits-using-psychologist-in-a-bid-to-overcome-spate-of-crashes

Sebastian Vettel says he is as motivated as ever and keen to win again in 2013

Sebastian Vettel says he is as motivated as ever and keen to win a fourth World Championship in 2013.

The 25-year-old became Formula 1's youngest ever triple title winner last month and also joined Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher in taking the crown three years in a row.
"As a team member I want us to be as successful in 2013 as we have been this year and the two previous years," the Red Bull driver told the official Formula 1 website. "And personally, I never had to simulate motivation - that is part of my nature."
Vettel was made to work to clinch the 2012 title at last month's Brazilian Grand Prix, the German overcoming a spin and collision on the opening lap before eventually finishing sixth.
He beat title rival Fernando Alonso by three points but there was controversy to come in the week following the race when Alonso's team Ferrari asked the FIA to clarify an overtaking manoeuvre Vettel made during his fightback.
The governing body quickly asserted that Vettel - who, it had been suggested, passed Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne illegally under yellow flags - had no case to answer, with the driver himself claiming that he never had any concerns.
"To be honest, I never wasted one single thought that an irregularity was involved from my side. Even if it was an eventful race I definitely saw all the flags - and their colours!" Vettel added.
"I only got information that Ferrari was up to something after (Team Principal) Christian (Horner) called me saying that obviously Ferrari was not too happy with the outcome of the race.
"After the FIA had checked every single inch of the recording of the situation in question - and confirmed that everything was according to the rules - Ferrari renounced any protests.
"But believe it or not I knew since the chequered flag that there was not a single movement wrong from my side."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12475/8342368/Sebastian-Vettel-says-he-is-as-motivated-as-ever-and-keen-to-win-again-in-2013

Felipe Massa says he is more motivated than ever heading into 2013

Felipe Massa says he is more motivated than ever heading into 2013 after rediscovering his form towards the end of the season.

The Ferrari driver had looked a shadow of his former self since he returned from a serious head injury sustained at the 2009 Hungarian GP.
But with his future at the team in doubt, Massa provided a timely reminder to the Tifosi at Monza, out qualifying Fernando Alonso for the first time all season, before taking his first podium finish for the first time in nearly two years at the Japanese GP.
A one-year contract extension soon followed and the Brazilian is hoping to carry that momentum into 2013 and is looking be competitive from the outset.
"This has been a very difficult year for me, especially at the start, when we couldn't find the right way to move forward with our car," the 31-year-old said.
"The second part was very different: I was more competitive and I managed to get back to the way I was before.
"Now I am more motivated than ever: the second part of the season was like a training session for next year."http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12474/8338798/Felipe-Massa-says-he-is-more-motivated-than-ever-heading-into-2013

Norbert Haug denies his exit from Mercedes linked with arrival of Niki Lauda

Norbert Haug insists that the presence of Niki Lauda at Mercedes has nothing to do with his departure from the German manufacturer after two decades.

The Stuttgart-based marque announced on Thursday that Haug was to step down from his role as the head of their motorsport division at the end of this month, having come to a "mutual agreement" to bring their 22-year association to an end.
Neither party revealed a reason for the sudden split in their joint press release, although Haug did express regret that over the last three seasons as a team owner they "couldn't fulfill our own expectations".
Speculation as to whether the recent arrival of three-times World Champion Lauda to the role of non-executive chairman of the underperforming Brackley-based F1 team had contributed to Haug's departure has since followed.
However speaking in Germany, Haug insists his departure was purely a decision made between himself and the main company board.
"I would again like to clarify strongly it was a decision that the board and I have taken unanimously and jointly," he was quoted as saying by Die Welt newspaper.
"Niki had absolutely nothing to do with it.
"We accept and respect each other over the years, and this will not change anything."
Lauda himself, whose arrival at Brackley was confirmed at the same time as the signing of Lewis Hamilton for 2013 - a deal he was heavily credited with influencing - expressed regret that he would no longer be working with Haug.
Speaking to Sky Sport News in Germany, the Austrian said: "I'm very sorry about that. I have always had a good relationship with him and for me it would be great to work with him in future time.
"After the shock we have no idea how to fix the problem. Absolutely, Norbert will be missed in the team."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12472/8331119/Norbert-Haug-denies-his-exit-from-Mercedes-linked-with-arrival-of-Niki-Lauda

Lewis Hamilton has backed Sebastian Vettel to win a fourth straight title in 2013

Lewis Hamilton has told Sky Sports News that he fully expects Sebastian Vettel to win a fourth straight World Championship next season.

Vettel, 25, recently became the youngest ever triple champion and Hamilton, who called the German "the luckiest driver in F1" after he finished third in Abu Dhabi from the pitlane last month, sees no reason why he shouldn't challenge again.
With no major technical changes next season, Hamilton anticipates that the Red Bull design led by Adrian Newey will once again build on the success of this year's car.
"It's going to be hard to beat Sebastian next year," Hamilton said. "I think Sebastian's going to have another amazing car.
"The car he had this year was fantastic. It's going to be an evolution of that next year. Adrian only seems to get better with age; I think he's going to do something pretty special next year as well."
Having decided to leave McLaren and join Mercedes, Hamilton has already tempered expectations that he might challenge Vettel for the 2013 title.
Not that the 27-year-old is lacking in motivation, however, as he prepares to embark on a new adventure with the German manufacturer.
"I like that people know that I'm a racer and I'm a winner. But it doesn't matter where you are on the grid, you can still race," Hamilton added.
"But I want to win - of course. That's my goal. I can't wait to get my hands on the team and the car and just try to work as quick as possible.
"It doesn't matter how many days, how many hours it takes. I'm willing to put all the effort in. I feel like I've got a new breath of life in me, so I'm ready for it."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12472/8324136/Lewis-Hamilton-has-backed-Sebastian-Vettel-to-win-a-fourth-straight-title-in-2013

Turkey's sports minister has said the government will not help fund a grand prix in Istanbul

Turkey's sports minister has denied that the government will help fund a race in Istanbul next season.

Speaking on Thursday, Suat Kilic said that any return of the Turkish Grand Prix would have to rely purely on private backing.
"If it wants to, the private sector can bring Formula One," Kilic was quoted as saying by the Dogan news agency.
"But there is no question of us paying the cost of the rights which have been proposed to a private company to bring Formula One."
Kilic said the government had previously made a "sacrifice" in helping bring F1 to Turkey, which hosted a grand prix between 2005 and 2011.
"Our government paid $13.5 million a year to the organisers for five years for the rights. In exchange for that, all the income went to the organisers, so the state did not get any benefit from it," he said.
Kilic's comments appear to pour cold water on the hopes of organisers who want to bring the race back to the Istanbul Park circuit.
Earlier on Thursday, the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED) had said that the race was discussed at a meeting between F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and Vural Ak, the businessman who recently took over management of the track.
"We in TOSFED are making every effort so that Formula One races, which have been held seven times in our country until now, can be held at our Istanbul Park track...(in 2013) and in future years," Chairman Demire Berberoglu was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Berberoglu acknowledged, however, that any race would require state backing.
"Everybody knows that what is needed for its presence in the Formula One race calendar for 2013 and following years is a guarantee and approval of the required budget at the government level," Berberoglu said.
"This will develop according to the prime minister's decision."
On Wednesday, a meeting of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council decided to bring forward the date of the German Grand Prix by a week to July 7 and also created a space in the calendar on July 21 for an as-yet un-named European race.
Ecclestone, who is in Istanbul for the governing body's gala prize-giving ceremony on Friday, had previously suggested that the French Grand Prix, which was last held in 2008, might return in place of a proposed race in New Jersey.
The latter event was named on the provisional 2013 calendar in September but has since been postponed for a year.
Turkey hosted a grand prix seven times in all, but the race was dropped following a disagreement with Ecclestone over the race fee
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/8313432/Turkey-s-sports-minister-has-said-the-government-will-not-help-fund-a-grand-prix-in-Istanbul 

Ross Brawn says Mercedes' 'ambition and objective' is to win in 2013

Ross Brawn sees no reason why Mercedes should not to aim for race wins next season, despite Lewis Hamilton's pessimism about their chances.

Much has already been made of Hamilton's decision to leave McLaren for the German manufacturer, especially since their performances have not come close to matching those of his former team.
The 2008 World Champion has already acknowledged that he might end 2013 winless having joined a constructor that might have earned its first win since returning to the sport in China earlier this year, but which has also struggled elsewhere.
In particular, Mercedes' performances tailed off towards the end of last season. Whilst acknowledging that his team have work to do, Brawn was nonetheless more upbeat when assessing the prospects of Hamilton and new team-mate Nico Rosberg.
"I think Lewis was just playing things down," he told The Sun.
"I'm sure, in his heart, he wants to win and set pole positions, but he understands the journey we must go on.
"We're working very hard to give him and Nico the opportunity to win and take pole positions. That's our ambition and our objective.
"It's obviously critical we improve from where we are. We're going to try, even if we don't hit all our objectives, [and] I'd like to think we can do a few of those things next year."
Brawn added that he is "very excited about the prospect of working with Lewis".
He said: "The team are very excited that we're still able to have a driver of that calibre. As we get a stronger car, obviously the drivers will become even more critical for us.
"It's going to be very interesting for all of us. I'm sure he'll be different to Michael (Schumacher)...."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12472/8310234/Ross-Brawn-says-Mercedes-ambition-and-objective-is-to-win-in-2013

Silverstone reveals plans it will put in place to avoid repeat of 2012 travel chaos

Silverstone has announced improvements to its traffic management scheme and infrastructure in a bid to avoid a repeat of the travel chaos caused by heavy rain at this year's British GP.

A period of persistent wet weather in the build-up to July's showpiece event, and throughout the opening two days of the meeting, caused campsites and grass car parks to become waterlogged, while surrounding roads became gridlocked.
This led to the unprecedented step of advising ticket holders with passes for the car parks to stay away from Saturday's qualifying day so organisers could repair the ground in preparation for arrivals on race day.
Silverstone had promised to roll out improvements for 2013 and on Tuesday announced the changes that will be put in place for next summer's event.
The Park and Ride scheme will be expanded and for the first time run over all three days of the grand prix weekend, shuttle services from local train stations will also be increased while investment will also be made in improving the venue's non-tarmacked car parks.
Silverstone's official Woodlands campsite will also be increased by 70 acres in order to provide a better fan experience and a holding area for cars away from the main roads.
Richard Phillips, Silverstone Circuits Managing Director, said: "For more than 10 years now, fans have had little or no issue getting in and out of the circuit for the British Grand Prix, so it's important to keep the problems of this year in perspective.
"That said, the traffic issues on the Friday of this year's event, and having to ask a number of fans to stay away on the Saturday, were far from ideal. We have learned from this year's experience and are taking steps to ensure we're better equipped to deal with whatever the weather may throw at us in future."
Although 10,000 ticket holders didn't attend on the Friday and Saturday - which Silverstone has now confirmed cost the venue £1 million in refund claims - a record crowd still turned up on race day and Phillips is confident the full three days will run more smoothly in 2013.
"Given the extreme weather conditions and position we found ourselves in on the Friday, I don't think race day could have gone much better," said Phillips.
"The sun shone, we had a great race and I'm delighted that we were able to get more than 127,000 people in and out of the circuit safely.
"We are confident that we won't see a repeat of the events of this year. Tickets for next year's British Grand Prix are selling reasonably well and we're already looking forward to what will be a fantastic three days of world class F1 action and entertainment."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/8308205/Silverstone-reveals-plans-it-will-put-in-place-to-avoid-repeat-of-2012-travel-chaos

Analysis: Why the FIA have given Sebastian Vettel the green light over his overtake

Controversy currently surrounds Sebastian Vettel's third world title amidst claims that he illegally passed Jean-Eric Vergne's car in a yellow-flag zone on lap four of Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Ferrari have written to the FIA, the sport's governing body, seeking clarification about the legality of the overtake. However, it's understood that the FIA are content that the move was legal.
Here's the situation explained and how the drama unfolded...
Why are Ferrari seeking clarification from the FIA?
Because since Sunday's race, forensic examination of the on-board footage from Vettel's car, which was broadcast by Sky Sports F1's Race Control during the grand prix, has generated a considerable amount of online debate amid suspicion that the Red Bull driver overtook Vergne under yellow flags.

Had Vettel committed any such offence then it could, if he was to be found guilty, trigger a twenty-second time penalty to be added on to his result, demoting him to eighth and crowning Alonso World Champion in his place.
Quite the big deal then.
What do the FIA say?
Although Ferrari are yet to receive an official response, the governing body has briefed journalists that Red Bull have "no case to answer" as Vettel had passed a green flag to reconvene racing before he overtook the Toro Rosso mid-way down the backstraight.
What green flag?
It is far from obvious, not least because the flag and marshal are partially obscured on the footage by the throttle map graphic from Vettel's RB8, but as the Toro Rosso and Red Bull pass the Interlagos pit exit there is a steward positioned on a green-coloured gantry to the left of the race track waving a green flag. The more times you watch the footage, the more visible he becomes.
The track would have gone 'green' the moment Vettel passed the flag, meaning that his overtake was legal.
But why was his dashboard light still yellow at the time of the move?The dashboard warning light features in all F1 cockpits, officially known as a GPS Marshalling System, to make it more obvious for drivers the relevant colour flag waving as they go through the affected zone.
However, the light is only there to help the drivers as a way of a precaution and is not the be-all-and-end all in terms of signalling and only extinguishes when the car passes a green light. However, a prior green flag via a marshal, as in this case, takes precedence.
So just why was the light yellow at the exit of Turn Three?
Ahh. We admit, we're a bit stumped by this. We've reviewed the footage and found that the light was green when Vettel passed Pic on lap three, presumably because Pastor Maldonado had left the track further back. Yet the light had turned yellow one lap later. Why? We're not sure, although it's certainly possible that debris was on the track.
Did Vettel use his KERS during the yellow flag zone?
Again, we've reviewed the evidence, and the German only used the first burst of his KERS boost once passed the now established green flag. Prior to then, the on-screen graphic showed he still had his full allocation for the lap. In any case, there is no penalty for using a burst of the recycled energy in a yellow flag zone.
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/8293852/Did-Sebastian-Vettel-overtake-Jean-Eric-Vergne-illegally-during-the-Brazilian-Grand-Prix- 

What a race, what a year

What a race. I have the fullest respect for any driver who got to the end of those 71 laps of chaos at Interlagos, and many who didn't.

If Fernando Alonso can face watching a re-run of Sunday's Brazilian GP he will simply shake his head in total amazement that he is not the World Champion.
Sebastian Vettel was both amazing and truly lucky. After a reasonable start he found himself squeezed gently towards the inside wall into turn one by his team-mate Mark Webber which I suspect didn't impress Red Bull. Forced to lift off and understandably rather cautious he found himself falling back into the pack.
As his rival Alonso did his usual dragster start and banzai around the outside, Vettel arrived at Turn Four under pressure. His first stroke of luck was the brilliance of Kimi Raikkonen who, on a damp track, realised he was going to squarely thump the champion-elect in the gearbox with some force and so drove his Lotus off the track with great presence of mind.

Vettel then, from the extreme outside of the track, swept into the apex of T4 on a normal racing line, but frankly there must have been close to a 100% chance that another gripless desperado would be slithering into that space. The fast-starting Bruno Senna was under control and accurate in his aim for the apex and would be eliminated on the spot after a double contact with Vettel - as would Sergio Perez who collected Senna.
The first contact spun Vettel around and damaged his bodywork, and the second gave his right rear suspension a serious thump. Through this Vettel was brilliantly freewheeling his car backwards in a straight line trying to help the rest of the pack avoid him. He was now running last - but, incredibly, still in the race. The team had been worrying about a potential alternator failure but now they had a car which looked as if it had suffered a shark attack.
The first 20 laps of the race were the most exciting I have ever had the privilege to commentate on. The wheel-to-wheel action between Button and Hamilton was thrilling, masterful, respectful, risky, and mesmerising. And all watched by Nico Hulkenberg who then impressively made his way to the front of the race.
I happened across Force India Sporting Director Andy Stevenson before the race who clearly stated that he felt Hulkenberg was out of position on the grid - because he was faster than some of those in front. I turned around to see just two Red Bulls and two McLarens and said I thought that was quite a bold statement. Less than an hour later they were leading in a car which had been set up with a nod towards a wet race.
As the light rain eased and then returned it seemed impossible to find the right tyre. It was a day to stay on the track but that was much easier said than done. Some stuck with their original slicks, most notably Hulkenberg and Button, others grabbed the safety and comfort of intermediates. The lap times ebbed and flowed so much it was impossible to initially say which was the right choice.
Hulkenberg looked comfortably in charge at the front leading from laps 18 to 47 but made two critical errors. The first was a half spin which cost him the lead, the second a slightly impetuous charge down the inside of turn one to regain the lead from Hamilton who had been wrong-footed in traffic. He lost the rear and collected Hamilton, ending up off the ground flying along at 45 degrees. Incredibly his car was intact although his drive-through penalty seemed to have been announced before he landed. It also signalled a sad end to Hamilton's McLaren career.
Hulkenberg's penalty was tough in such track conditions although he had clearly wiped out Hamilton while losing control of his car. The stewards, I believe, treat the first lap differently in the general chaos and didn't choose to take a look at Vettel's contact with Senna who was similarly wiped out. As Vettel was also under control and on the racing line, it would have been deemed a racing incident.
Vettel's difficult afternoon endured. He was caught napping on the safety car restart which had been deployed because there was carbon fibre spread all around the track like confetti. His radio failed and so although he could hear the team they couldn't hear him. He went for a new set of slicks just before he needed intermediates. On arrival for those inters his unannounced stop meant they were still in blankets. And yet he still remained in championship-winning position providing he stayed on track and nothing happened to Button who was now leading from Fernando Relentless.

Paul di Resta lost his Force India in standing water on those apparently easy but ultimately treacherous gentle left kinks heading up to the startline. In the rain it's so scary through there you can take a bite out of your seat...
The resulting safety car neutralised the end of the race and everybody's race positions were crystallised. Vettel was champion, Button the race winner, and Caterham would crucially take the lucrative 10th place off Marussia, passing the baton on financial pressure.
We can forgive Felipe Massa 'crying like a baby' as he put it on the podium. His emotions would flood back from 2008 here when he was World Champion for a few seconds in his own back yard. He's had a largely awful season but is now surely on his consistently best form since the clout to his head back in 2009. He helped Ferrari ace McLaren - who, like Red Bull, won seven races - for second in the Constructors' Championship, thereby partly easing the pain for many at Ferrari.
Comedy moment of the race was Kimi Raikkonen who ran wide into Juncao, the treacherous left hander before climbing the hill. He had done this back in 2001 and knew the old Interlagos track offered a route back onto the racetrack. Except this time it was firmly gated. His 180 degree U-turn in a confined space under pressure was worthy of Strictly Come Dancing, although another time he might take the Tarmac road back to civilisation rather than charging across the grass. After his many adventures he cruised over the line in 10th place. He has been truly impressive in his comeback year.
My driver of the year is Fernando Alonso, the man who scored most podiums - thirteen - without the benefit of the fastest car. His sheer grit and determination along with sublime car control meant that the racer in me wanted him to steal the championship.

Instead, at just 25 years and 124 days of age, Sebastian Vettel's majestic skills and mature head ensured that he became the youngest triple World Champion in Formula One history. He has the potential to smash even Schumacher's achievements and many men of a certain age like me will reflect on how much they had achieved before 26. Don't try to tell me that he's not the real deal or that he's not yet a great driver.
Jenson Button won the first and last race of the season and looks very ready to lead McLaren forward. If he can deliver more consistently there's another championship in him yet.
Regulation consistency means that 2013 should bring us more of the same. I've thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Sky Sports F1 team this year and can't wait for the new season. We look forward to your company to share all the thrills and spills.
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/22058/8288998/What-a-race-what-a-year

Conclusions from the Brazilian GP

Alonso loses out to a worthy champion
Oh 2012, how we're going to miss you. Brazil's epic conclusion was a fitting finale for an epic season which had everything and which just kept on giving.

The victor was deserved, but that conclusion was guaranteed long before the curtain fell; only Fernando Alonso or Sebastian Vettel could have been crowned champion at Interlagos and just because Ferrari's brilliant Spaniard warranted the title doesn't mean the German didn't deserve the crown for himself as well.
In very different ways, with polar-opposite styles of personality, and usually starting from different parts of the grid, the genius and the jester were united by their shared claim for the elite ranking of triple World Champion. The beautiful satisfaction of 2012 was that no matter how it ended, it had to end well.
Partly because of Alonso's undisputed brilliance and partly because of the nagging unease that Vettel has had it a little too easy so far in his career, it's been easy to overlook just how well Sebastian has driven this year.
He has made very few mistakes, run into form at a stage of the season when many of his peers have run out of steam, and triumphed in a car which, although usually far faster than Alonso's, was far from dominant. Nonetheless, he's won more races than any other driver this term, with five to Alonso's three, a statistic which ought to carry a degree of weight in the final reckoning. And in two of the last three races, he's come from the back of the field to finish in the points. Luck has played its own beneficial role, but a good champion makes his own luck.

Without question, Alonso has transcended his machinery, but he's also had the advantage of being partnered by a team-mate who only found pace and a degree of competitiveness in the final third of the campaign. Even then, Felipe Massa remained wholly subordinate to his superior, ceding grid position in America and then running as Alonso's rear-gunner in Brazil. By consistent contrast, Webber was far more of a match and a challenge to Vettel.
Moreover, the shortcomings of the F2012 have surely been exaggerated. Yes, Alonso's car was almost always a dog on Saturdays, but time after time it found its bite on race day and, with the honest-exception of a broken roll bar at Monza, never once did it betray its master. While two alternator failures cost Vettel over forty points, Alonso's Ferrari remained a bullet-proof model of reliability for eight successive months. That shouldn't be so readily overlooked when considering their respective claims to the title.
The pity is that there could only be one winner and that one man's just deserts was always going to end with a bitter pill for the other. Unlike at Abu Dhabi three years ago when a botched strategy cost him the title, Alonso at least has the satisfaction of knowing he could have done no more this year. Nor could have Lewis Hamilton, whose season was encapsulated by his luckless demise from the lead of Sunday's race. He, like Alonso, deserved better. That's just the way sport is sometimes. And that's not to say Vettel is an underserved champion.
The difficulty of seeing what you want to see
If there is nothing on this planet as myopic as man, there is surely nobody quite as accomplished at the art of seeing what they want to see as a sports fan. It's a guarantee already confirmed that while Vettel fans will consider his pass on Kamui Kobayashi to have been unequivocally legal, Alonso supporters will view the incident as taking place under yellow flags.

All that can be said with any degree of certainty is that the footage is ambiguous and the wonder is that it can ever be acceptable for a system of semaphore to be open to interpretation and ambiguity. Put bluntly: shouldn't the marshals try a few different colours rather than involve yellow twice? There's also surely a pertinent question to be asked about the need for a warning that the track is slippery after rain. If drivers need advice of that ilk they probably shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel of any type of motor vehicle, never mind a very fast one.
The disappointment, all the while, is that in the absence of transparency from the stewards' office, so much official scrutiny is left open to another layer of interpretation. Where, for stark illustration, was the confirmation that they were aware of the lap-nine Kobayashi incident but deemed it legal? And, moving on, how to tally the stewards' near-instantaneous punishment of Hulkenberg with their apparent refusal to give Vettel's collision into the side of Bruno Senna's Williams on the first lap another look?
It was a clumsy piece of driving, very possibly borne of panic, and, given that a precedent was set in Spa for stewards to punish first-lap infringements, Vettel was almost as fortunate to escape official sanction as he was not to suffer race-ending damage. Had roles been reversed, Senna would surely have been punished in much the same way that Grosjean was suspended for "eliminating leading championship contenders" at the start in Belgium.
One rule for them, one for the also-rans? Maybe not, because, in another under-publicised ruling, the Interlagos stewards concluded that Grosjean's tangle during qualifying with Pedro de la Rosa was a racing incident. Taking a consistent line, Vettel's lunge for the Turn Four apex might have been interpreted along similar lines. It was clumsy, yes, but perhaps not so bad as to deserve a penalty.
Either way, a little clarity and the occasional explanation along the way would be a very welcome thing.
Connections run deep in F1
Nico Hulkenberg has a lot to answer for. From McLaren's perspective, he has almost £15m of lost prize money to account for after Hamilton's retirement, brought about by his leery slide into the crippled MP4-27, cost them second place in the Constructors' Championship above Ferrari. The Scuderia, conversely, will be thankful for the tenuous endorsement of their one-driver team philosophy.
For his part, Hamilton has accepted the loss of what could have been his final win in quite a while with good grace after Hulkenberg personally delivered an apology, but his CV will forever be tainted by the statistic that, over the course of their three years at team-mates, he was out-pointed by Jenson Button by a score of 672 to 657. The crash also meant he finished fourth rather third in the Drivers' Championship behind Kimi Raikkonen, although that's something which matters rather less.
Yet the real significance of Hulkenberg's ill-judged manoeuvre was very arguably at the back of the grid, with the retirements of Hamilton and Paul di Resta, whose reputation has crumbled this season, propelling Vitaly Petrov into eleventh for Caterham. The consequences of that minor-sounding matter are in fact far reaching, with Marussia demoted a position in the Constructors' Championship and Caterham collecting an additional £10m of prize money at their expense.
In a head-spinning irony, that unexpected bonus might yet offer the F1 career of Heikki Kovalainen an unexpected lifeline, even though it was Kovalainen who Force India believed was primarily at fault for Hulkenberg's crash into the side of Hamilton.
It's a tangled affair is this F1 lark.
Hamilton and McLaren make family their first rival
It's a perversity entirely in keeping with the reasoning behind his decision to depart for the muddy grass of Mercedes and even the nature of his own mercurial talent that it's taken the prospect of leaving home for Lewis Hamilton to appreciate that there is no place like home.

As he prepares his final goodbyes, the bond tying him to McLaren seems stronger than ever. You won't be alone in suspecting that we probably haven't seen the last of him in McLaren colours just yet.
But as of January, Hamilton is a Mercedes man and it's another perversity that the more he endorses the team, and the more he becomes synonymous with their reputation, the more essential it becomes for them to beat him next season. 2013, it's over to you, because in this 'him' versus 'them' scenario there can only be one winner in 2013. The path of true love never run smooth.
Good just isn't good enough any more
So barring something remarkable - which, to all intents and purposes means Kamui Kobayashi jumping the long queue in front of him to grab the second seat at Force India - there won't be a Japanese driver on the 2013 grid.
It's a landscape which was unthinkable just a few years ago when Toyota and Honda were at the forefront of the sport while another Japanese team, Super Aguri, brought up the rear. Even the prospect of Kobayashi losing his seat for 2013 was barely imagined at the start of this year. Yet time changes quickly in F1. Somehow, and very unfortunately, Japan has been left behind by F1 - an impression summed up by Kobayashi's expulsion from Sauber two months after scoring his maiden podium at Suzuka. Japan has lost its influence.

Kobayashi's foremost problem, of course, is that he is a paid driver rather than a paying one. But it goes a little further than that because, as remarked previously, it doesn't make sense that while Perez has been promoted into the big league with McLaren, Kamui has been left behind altogether. 2012 ends with Perez out-scoring Kobayashi by 66 points to 60 and out-qualifying him by eleven to nine. Bottom line: there is nothing in those stats to account for why their careers are heading in such polar opposite directions.
The only explanation of sorts is that imprecise impression that Perez is considered to have the potential to be a champion and Kobayashi isn't. There is a vast no-man's growing in the midfield of F1 in which a surplus of good-but-not-great drivers means that the size - and direction - of the remuneration has become the only way to compile a pecking order.
Pay drivers are bad news for F1, but if the result is that being good isn't good enough any more, it's not all bad news.
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/22058/8285229/Conclusions-from-the-Brazilian-GP 

Michael Schumacher admits that he has been "counting down the days" to his second retirement from Formula 1

Michael Schumacher admits that he has been "counting down the days" to his second retirement from Formula 1.

Six years after he first walked away from the sport, also at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Schumacher does it again after Sunday's race.
"I'm counting down the days to go to the life I have next from Formula 1 - that I've had in the years in between - and I look forward to this," he admitted on Saturday.
The contrast between farewells is stark. In 2006, Schumacher arrived at Interlagos in contention for his eighth title.
Although Fernando Alonso denied him that particular milestone, Schumacher still headed into the sunset with his head held high having driven a storming race to come through from 19th place to finish fourth.
Never mind an eighth World Championship: Schumacher never came close to winning a 92nd grand prix during his comeback. The best result he managed was a third place in Valencia earlier this year.
There was a feeling first time around that Schumacher was an unwilling retiree; that Ferrari had pushed him into the decision so they could sign Kimi Raikkonen.
That is clearly not the case this time. As the man himself said: "For me, it's different. I'm a little more cool and relaxed about it."
Of what comes next, Schumacher admitted that he does not have "concrete future plans". Besides work with long-term sponsors and a ramping up of family life once again, he mentioned the possibility of staying on at Mercedes in some capacity.
"There are good ideas and good options, so I'm pretty sure my calendar will be easily filled up," the 43-year-old said.
Of course, there is one race still to run. Mercedes might be winding down their season after a promising start, but the racer in Schumacher clearly will not be denied just yet.
His starting position of 13th on the grid has been all-too-familiar territory during the last three seasons but the prospect of a wet race gives him the chance, perhaps, to sign off with a flourish.
"There's going to be excitement, particularly with the conditions we're going to face tomorrow. I very much look forward to this because it offers more opportunities," he said.
Focused to the last, Schumacher also insisted that he would not let himself think about the circumstances during the race itself.
He added, however, that "maybe in certain moments, such as going to the grid or after the race when the chequered flag is down then, yes, there are moments when I will think about this one.
"Who knows? I might even be emotional. But, so far, there's not been too much of it."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12472/8279260/Michael-Schumacher-admits-that-he-has-been-counting-down-the-days-to-his-second-retirement-from-Formula-1

Brazil GP Qualifying: Hamilton on pole, Sebastian Vettel fourth, Alonso seventh

Lewis Hamilton will start the Brazilian GP from pole position after edging out team-mate Jenson Button by less than a tenth of a second as McLaren locked out the front-row at Interlagos.

But even the sight of Hamilton securing pole for what will be - at least for now - his final race in McLaren colours was not sufficient to divert attention for long from the anguished travails of Fernando Alonso as the title-chasing Spaniard slumped to seventh - three places behind his World Championship rival Sebastian Vettel.
Already facing an uphill challenge to wrestle the title out of the Red Bull driver's grasp, Ferrari's acute shortage of pace was laid bare as Alonso barely squeaked into the final segment of a qualifying hour which started in damp conditions but ended with Vettel as red-hot favourite to claim the title.

Painfully short of firepower, the Spaniard's only realistic hope of usurping his Red Bull rival appears to rest on the forecast rain for race day. "We need a chaotic race to mix a little bit the positions and maybe the rain can help," acknowledged the Spaniard as he reflected on yet another chastening Saturday for his team.
All season long, Ferrari have lacked single-lap pace, but at Interlagos their shortcomings have seemed even more pronounced than normal with at least five cars apparently boasting superior speed to Alonso's charger.
In a straight fight, Alonso's F2012 looks to be desperately lacking downforce and raw pace - although, perhaps mindful that the Brazilian will line up alongside Vettel, the Scuderia have ruled out repeating their desperate measure ahead of last Sunday's United States GP when Massa was deliberately demoted in order to propel Alonso up the grid.
Alonso has, however, been promoted a place closer to Vettel and the podium he requires to have any chance of winning the title after a third reprimand of the season for Pastor Maldonado triggered a ten-place grid penalty.
Nonetheless, there was no disguising Ferrari's problems and the Scuderia were fortunate that Romain Grosjean added another moment to forget to his catalogue of 2012 video nasties by tangling unnecessarily with Pedro de la Rosa.
The result was catastrophic for the Frenchman with his Lotus scattering parts across the Interlagos circuit and unable to proceed through Q1. Had he done so, one of the two Ferraris - who snuck through to the top-ten shootout in ninth and tenth position - would surely have been eliminated.
At the front, meanwhile, Hamilton was in the mood and in the groove. With his future decided, the 2008 World Champion is ending the season in resplendent fashion, and the 26th pole position of his career was a fair reward for a peerless performance through the rest of the weekend.
"It's so exciting when you come over the line and get pole," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1 after his lap of 1:12.458 proved just enough to defeat Button. "Brazil is very special but this is one of those great races which I haven't won before and I would love to do so. I've put myself in the best position to do that."
Hamilton, who just gets better and better for McLaren as he moves closer and closer to their exit door, is ending the season in arguably the best form of his career and has been the dominant on-track protagonist ever since F1 took residence in the Sao Paulo suburbs.

But his duel with Button, who had belatedly found form and balance earlier in the day during Practice Three, proved to be closer than generally expected, with Jenson just 0.05 seconds slower than his team-mate as the session reached a multi-faceted conclusion which saw Vettel narrowly supplanted by team-mate Mark Webber, Massa climb to fifth and even the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg jump ahead of Alonso.
"If you were writing a script to make it as dramatic as you possibly could, you couldn't have a qualifying like that and now there's the expectation of a wet race as well," remarked Sky F1's Damon Hill. "It's going to be a seat-of-the-pants show for us but a really hairy moment for the two title contenders."
The Spaniard has it all to do, but then when hasn't he? And if the rain falls, hope will spring eternal from the Sao Paulo skies.
http://www1.skysports.com/formula1/report/12433/8277649/brazil-gp-qualifying--hamilton-on-pole--sebastian-vettel-fourth--alonso-seventh

Vettel happy with Friday's work but long-run pace offers encouragement for Alonso

Red Bull have expressed their satisfaction with their performance in the opening salvoes of the Brazilian GP weekend, but it appears as if all is far from lost for the title-chasing Fernando Alonso.

Both of Friday's practice timesheets ended in near-identical fashion, with Lewis Hamilton edging out Sebastian Vettel and the World Champion's Red Bull team-mate, Mark Webber.
Were those positions to be repeated on Sunday then Vettel would claim a third successive championship with relative ease, yet with heavy rain forecast for race day the German is taking nothing for granted.
"Nowadays we don't really have a wet set-up anymore, there are a couple of things you would like to change if it is really wet, but if it is not that wet then we will just put on the wet tyres and go from there," Vettel told Sky Sports F1.
"It was a good day for us, we had no major problems and I had a decent long run at the end."
Fernando Alonso, who has to finish on the podium on Sunday if he is to have any chance of beating the Red Bull driver to a third title of his own, was fifth-fastest in the afternoon running, just behind Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa.

The Spaniard admitted he wasn't yet completely happy with his F2012's handling but suggested that with very different conditions expected to greet the grid on Sunday - in the form of persistent heavy rain - Ferrari had to focus on the car's set-up for race day in particular.
"We have not yet found the ideal balance on the car, so there is still a lot of work to be done with the engineers going into the rest of the weekend," Alonso said.
"The predictions are for very different conditions from Saturday to Sunday, further reason to concentrate on the best choices when it comes to preparing the car for qualifying, but especially for the race.
"It's hard to say if we prefer rain or the dry: as I said before, it is vital to be prepared to tackle both situations.
"We know we have to score 14 points more than Vettel for the Championship and not lose the same number to McLaren to maintain our second place in the Constructors'. Our targets are clear, but also difficult to achieve."

However, Alonso can never be written off - especially if the predictions of heavy rain on Sunday prove prescient - and the Ferrari driver's pace during his race-simulation at the close of Practice Two offered more than a glimmer of hope.
"The second session was far more relevant because in the first a lot of teams were using the 2013 tyres. But what I was impressed with was Alonso's run at the end on the hard tyres and I was impressed with Massa's run on the mediums - both of those guys were quick," commented Sky Sports F1 analyst Allan McNish.
"And what surprised me is that Vettel and Webber didn't look as good. Their lap times weren't as quick and the car didn't look very stable. And the fastest driver was clearly Hamilton."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12475/8275002/Vettel-happy-with-Friday-s-work-but-long-run-pace-offers-encouragement-for-Alonso

Jenson Button says wet Brazilian GP would increase risks for both Vettel and Alonso

Jenson Button has warned Sebastian Vettel that a wet Brazilian GP would "really mix it up" in his battle to see off Fernando Alonso for the Drivers' Championship.

The ever-tense spectre of a final-race title showdown has already been heightened at Interlagos by the ominous weather forecast for race day, which suggests heavy rain will hit the Sao Paulo region throughout Sunday.
Button's own title-winning weekend in Brazil three years ago was almost derailed when struggles in a rain-hit qualifying session left him well down the grid and the McLaren driver admits a wet Sunday would be a real step into the unknown - particularly for the two remaining title contenders - if the first days of the grand prix weekend are dry.
"It's really tricky for us to try and get a set-up for Sunday because we're not going to drive in the wet probably until Sunday," Button told Sky Sports News' Rachel Brookes.
"For us it's tricky but there are two people who are going to find it even trickier - Sebastian and Fernando. What a great championship decider to have these guys fighting it out and in the wet as well where there is so much risk involved."
Indeed, the 2009 World Champion reckons a wet race round the undulating circuit would immediately increase the chances of one of the title contenders not finishing, a prospect he says would alarm points leader Vettel in particular.
Asked by Rachel which one of Vettel and Alonso he felt would be feeling more pressure after both contenders had brushed off potential concerns to the media on Thursday, Button replied: "We all know the truth don't we - that isn't the truth from either of them!
"There's a lot of pressure on the guys, and they put it on themselves. That's the way it is, you want to win. If it's dry here I think it's pretty easy for Sebastian if they don't have reliability issues.
"If it's wet, which it probably is going to be, it's really does mix it up. It doesn't matter where you start, there's a massive risk of not finishing the race. Rather than being the quickest guy out there, it's not finishing the race which is the scary part for Sebastian."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12479/8271384/Jenson-Button-says-wet-Brazilian-GP-would-increase-risks-for-both-Vettel-and-Alonso

Fernando Alonso says he has 'nothing to lose' as he prepares for Brazil GP showdown

Fernando Alonso has warned that he has nothing to lose as he bids to pull off what he admits looks like 'mission impossible' and beat Sebastian Vettel to the championship.

While looking as stern as ever as he faced the press corps on Thursday, the Spaniard insisted that he was feeling relaxed about the steep challenge which awaits him in Brazil as he strives to overcome a thirteen-point deficit to Sebastian Vettel in the season finale.
In what is likely to be interpreted as an attempt to ramp up the pressure on hot favourite Vettel, Alonso is adamant that he isn't feeling under strain as F1 awaits Sunday's conclusion.
"In F1 there is always pressure, but definitely there is less pressure here than on some previous occasions and maybe less pressure than if we were leading the championship," declared the Spaniard, who has twice before been involved in final-race showdowns at Interlagos.

"We have nothing to lose. We are in second position after two qualifyings dominated by Red Bull so to recover thirteen points looks like a very difficult achievements and in normal conditions we will finish second [in the championship].
"But because it is not in our hands, the pressure is much less. We have very little to lose and a lot to gain so we will try to do it."
Yet the prospect of Alonso snatching the title out of Vettel's grasp remains remote. His unbalanced F2012 was over a second off the pace a week ago in Austin and, given that Saturday is expected to be dry, it seems unlikely that he will be able to challenge for pole position. As the Spaniard himself remarked: "There is no magic we can put in the car in five days."
F1's own version of the lottery - rain - is forecast for race day, but it may be telling that Alonso is already embracing the consolation that, even if this year ends in frustration and title failure, he's confident he will be able to compete for his third championship in the future.
"I am 31 and I still believe I will have some more possibilities at Ferrari in the next four or five years. In my three years at Ferrari, I have arrived already at the final race with a chance to win the title - at Abu Dhabi [in 2010] and here at Brazil. Even with many difficulties in terms of performance - because we have not been dominant, and I have no doubt that the next four or five will see more fights and titles, but let's for now focus on this one."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12474/8271087/Fernando-Alonso-says-he-has-nothing-to-lose-as-he-prepares-for-Brazil-GP-showdown

Lewis Hamilton says 'McLaren will always be my home' and he may return after Mercedes

'Goodbye' seems to be the hardest word of all for Lewis Hamilton. Despite not yet leaving for Mercedes, he is already talking up the prospect of returning to McLaren, the place he still considers 'home', in three years' time.

Having driven for the team since boyhood, Hamilton will drive a McLaren car for a final time this weekend at the Brazilian GP after signing a three-year deal with Mercedes. But as he prepares to bid the team farewell - an experience he admitted on Thursday would be "tough" - the 27-year-old didn't rule out the possibility that his departure might only be temporary, rather than permanent.
Only now, two months after signing for Mercedes, does Hamilton seem fully aware of the magnitude of the decision he has taken. McLaren is all he has ever known and a nasty dose of separation anxiety seems to have stricken Hamilton as he starts to pack up his belongings.
Likening his contracted three-year stint at Mercedes as "leaving home and going travelling for a bit", Hamilton told Sky Sports News: "You can never say never. I've had a great time. I think it [McLaren] will always be my home.
"I'll always look at is as my home, it's where I've come from, and so going back there would be nice one day.
"But I want to go and experience some things along the way. It's almost like leaving home and going travelling for a bit, I'm just doing it with a different company."
Indeed, while their relationship appeared increasingly tense in the weeks and months preceding his decision to move to Mercedes, Hamilton generally seems more enamoured with McLaren than ever before and has admitted he will find it a wrench to turn his back on what has been a two-decade association.
"I only have good memories and I'll leave with just the greatest memories of the best experiences and hopefully lots of friends who will continue to be friends in the future," said Hamilton in Thursday's press conference.
"I was just saying to them that I will probably keep coming back to have lunch with them and dinner at their hospitality because the food is great there!"
For now, however, Hamilton's only focus is on bowing out in style.
"It's quite a unique situation for me, I've obviously never been in a situation like this before where it's my last race for the team which I grew up with. It's going to be tough," he added.
"We're going to push as hard as we can and try to win. I've never won here before, and we'll have such a beautiful race here if the weather holds."
The forecast is for rain, but it remains to be seen whether Hamilton marks his departure with some waterworks of his own.
For 2013, Hamilton will line-up alongside Nico Rosberg at Mercedes and Fernando Alonso, whom Hamilton partnered during his rookie season of 2007, believes that their union can propel Mercedes back amongst the frontrunners.
"He'll be very strong and Nico will have some extra work to do. I think that with Nico and Lewis, Mercedes will be very strong and they can be serious contenders next year," predicted the Spaniard.
"I've a lot of respect for Lewis, he's probably the best or one of the best here. I spent one year with Lewis but it didn't work out too well because McLaren didn't share the same philosophy."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12479/8270903/Lewis-Hamilton-says-McLaren-will-always-be-my-home-and-he-may-return-after-Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton believes Sunday's victory at the U.S. GP proved he is a top driver

Lewis Hamilton says Sunday's victory at the United States GP proved he is one of the top drivers in F1 after he "beat the supposed best."

Sebastian Vettel had looked dominant at the Circuit of the Americas after topping every practice and qualifying session, but Hamilton was on fire in the race, recovering from a slow start on the dirty side of the grid to hunt down and pass the World Championship leader.
The 2008 World Champion is out of contention to win this year's title, but after beating the only two men who can win it, he believes he should be seen in the same light as the sport's other top drivers.
"I think I stamped my mark on the sport and showed I have the status that the others do," Hamilton said.
"Even though I am not competing for first or second in the Championship I still hold that drive. I just beat the supposed best.
"I think I have been driving at my best all year, getting stronger and stronger and this was my strongest performance of the year.
"To be able to push and not make mistakes and to hunt Sebastian down and see him make mistakes is a great feeling.

"They say you are only as good as your last race. It would be nice to be battling for the Championship but that is the way that it is, so I have to be grateful for where I am and what we have achieved.
"We would have had a lot more wins but for the problems we have had. But this makes the rest disappear and allows us to move forward and smile."
This Sunday's race at Interlagos brings an end to Hamilton's long association with McLaren as he embarks on a new chapter in his career with Mercedes in 2013.
"Regardless of what happens, I am leaving on a high," he added.
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12479/8261859/Lewis-Hamilton-believes-Sunday-s-victory-at-the-U.S.-GP-proved-he-is-a-top-driver

Fernando Alonso 'proud' Ferrari were honest about ploy to demote Felipe Massa

Fernando Alonso says he is proud Ferrari were honest about their decision to deliberately demote Felipe Massa before Sunday's GP.

Scarcely an hour before Sunday's race, the team broke the seal on the Brazilian's gearbox, triggering an automatic five-place grid penalty, in order to promote Alonso to the 'clean' side of the track.
'The reason for this was for strategy considerations, with the objective of maximizing Alonso's start potential given that he's still in with a chance to win the drivers' championship,' the team confirmed in a statement. 'We've always maintained that the interests of the team come before that of the individual drivers and this has always been our very transparent policy. '
The gamble paid off as the drivers on the 'dirty' side struggled to get away and Alonso jumped from seventh to fourth at turn one.
"It was a decision from the team as starting sixth and eight we were likely to be ninth and 10th into the first corner, so we started on the 'clean' side and I am very proud of the decision and very proud of the team for telling the truth," the Spaniard told Sky Sports F1.
"Not many teams when they made that decision would have done that."
Alonso also praised his Brazilian team-mate for taking the penalty with good grace and hopes he can maintain the pace he showed in Austin in his homeland next weekend.
"Felipe was fantastic all weekend," Alonso added. "He was quicker than me in Q1, Q2, Q3 and today was very similar so we need this pace from Felipe in Sao Paulo to help. Red Bull will be strong and we need all the team united."
Team Principal Stefano Domenicali insisted the team were right to exploit the rules in their favour to keep the title fight alive.
"The more we think about it, the more it was the right thing to do to keep the Championship alive until the last moment," Domenicali said.
"I did not want to lie, I just wanted to tell the truth. It would have been easy to do that, but that is not my style. And I think because of the situation at Ferrari it is clear that the team is the most important thing in this situation and considering the data we had about the left side of the grid we knew there was very bad grip.
"I discussed it with both the drivers and Felipe understood and I am thankful for that because drivers always want to be at the top but that is the spirit of Ferrari. I think at the end of the day, in my shoes, if any other Team Principal would do a different thing, they are lying."

Alonso finished third, whilst Massa recovered from his demotion to take fourth and Domenicali was pleased with the team's recovery having struggled in qualifying.
"Considering the situation we had last night, I think the objective had to be to take the fight to the last round," he added.
"We did the maximum today and clearly today and yesterday Red Bull and McLaren were faster than us and the only thing we could do was to try and make the right choice and the right thing and today I am happy that despite Red Bull winning the Constructors' we go into the final race in the fight.
"And we will not take it for granted after the last corner because remember in Brazil in 2008 we were winning but at the last corner we lost the Drivers' so I have that memory in mind."
Rain is forecast for the race in Brazil and Alonso feels that is his only hope of still taking the title.
"With normal race in dry conditions I think Red Bull would be first and second and we would be sixth and seventh but in wet conditions anything can happen," the double-Champion said.
"More strange things could happen in the race and maybe it goes in our favour. We say today Webber retired, sometimes it is alternator, sometimes KERS, sometimes water - but always that car. Maybe in Brazil it will change car."
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12474/8258623/Fernando-Alonso-proud-Ferrari-were-honest-about-ploy-to-demote-Felipe-Massa