Brazil

[JHS18 0]

Here it is, the season finale.

After 19 races, 8 different winners and even more visitors to the podium, the 2012 season ends this weekend.

We've got plenty of things to look forward to, in no particular order:

• HRT's last race unless someone buys them
  
• Michael Schumacher's final, final race.
  
• Lewis Hamilton's probably final race for McLaren
  
• Crowing a triple World Champion.
  

As with Interlagos, you never know what the weather can do. In 2009 and 2010 we had heavy rain for qualifying, producing a mixed up grid both times. And of course, rain on race day can often result in chaos, as seen with 2003 and 2008.

Who is your money on?

Also, now we've only got one race to go, what has been the highlight of the year for you?

[Massa 0]

I just want a damn weekend where I can actually watch one of these things. I don't even care if it's the most boring race they've ever run.

It's been a great season.

[HandyNZL 1]

Vettel will be the first three-peat champion since...well...never. No driver has ever won his first and third world championships in a row. Yes there have been other guys that have won three or more...but NONE have won the first three championships in consecutive years.

Yes, some people will say he has "had the best car" blah blah blahdee dah. Damn near every world champion has had the best car....Hakkinen had the best car for his two, Schumi the best car for his seven, JV for his one, etc etc etc. People that pin any of his titles on "the best car"-syndrome should really learn what motorsport is all about...(here's a clue...what's the first part of that word made up of - it's sure as hell ain't driversport).

So I am expecting the most consistent driver of the past three seasons to take the title. That makes him as good as Stewart, Clark, Brabham, Fangio, Schumacher, Hakkinen, Fernando, Fittapaldi, Piquet and every other multiple championship winning driver.

The boy done good. And the boy done it damn early in his career. I'll even go out on a limb and pick him to be the first FOUR-peater too. 2014 I'm not so sure about though...except Hamilton will announce his return to Mclaren for 2015....

Chur

[Rainmaster 7]

Well that was a bloody good jinxing you've just given him, even got him for 2014

Everybody is saying Vettel will win. I can't help but think he'll have an accident, puncture or mechanical issue and Alonso will pick up the title. That's just the way this season feels like it'll end to me. Feels like Alonso is destined to win it with the season he's had.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

Well that was a bloody good jinxing you've just given him, even got him for 2014

Everybody is saying Vettel will win. I can't help but think he'll have an accident, puncture or mechanical issue and Alonso will pick up the title. That's just the way this season feels like it'll end to me. Feels like Alonso is destined to win it with the season he's had.

Now you've just jinxed Alonso

[Rainmaster 7]

That was exactly my intention You see it's all about balance. Unless you're the BBC reporting the Isreal-Gaza conflict. Then it's not.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

That was exactly my intention You see it's all about balance.

[freaky2 1]

The highlight of the year is Kimi coming back! At least this once I know for sure

[JHS18 0]

Saw this on another website. What Alonso needs to do to win the title, and what Vettel needs to do.

For Alonso to win:

Alonso 1st, Vettel no higher than 5th

Alonso 2nd, Vettel no higher than 8th,

Alonso 3rd, Vettel no higher than 10th

For Vettel to win:

Vettel 1st, wins.

Vettel 2nd, wins.

Vettel 3rd, wins.

Vettel 4th, wins.

Vettel 5th, Alonso no higher than 2nd

Vettel 6th, Alonso no higher than 2nd

Vettel 7th, Alonso no higher than 2nd

Vettel 8th, Alonso no higher than 3rd

Vettel 9th, Alonso no higher than 3rd

Vettel 10th, Alonso no higher than 4th

[Rainmaster 7]

What do Alain Prost's 1986 season and Fernando Alonso's 2012 season have in common?

Autosport: "Alonso once again fought his way on to the podium after starting from a lowly seventh. This equalled another remarkable record for the Spaniard this year. He has ended races on the podium nine times despite qualifying outside the front three places – a feat also achieved by Alain Prost in 1986".

[Jean-Pierre 0]

My money is on rain and an Alonso victory, unless Hamilton shows his magic again.

[Massa 0]

Decent chance of showers this far out.

Interlagos is my favorite track.

This is the last Grand Prix on SPEED and, consequently, the last weekend my family's going to pay for that part of our cable package. I remember watching Car and Driver on SpeedVision with my dad way back in the day. It will be weird to not be able to whine about Hard Parts: South Bronx and Dumbest Stuff on Wheels (no, not NASCAR ) being on SPEED all day with the rallies and touring car races tape-delayed months and shown at 3 AM, as if we don't know how to DVR things.

I hope the best car, team, and driver win.

Of course, my criteria for best has always been the one scoring the most points, so I never have to worry much there...

[dribbler 6]

My fairytale ending would be Fernando snatching it. I think he has had to work harder all year.

Sebabstian has not had to work so hard, but would if he needed to. He has been magnificent too.

I would prefer a straight fight, but unfortunately instead, I'm hoping for a Vettel problem and an Alonso podium.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

Sebabstian has not had to work so hard, but would if he needed to. He has been magnificent too.

How do you know he did'nt work so hard, especially to get the car to his liking, remember the start of the year? Judging by what I read about his work ethic on F1 sites, he's probably THE most hardworking driver on and off the circuit....

I would prefer a straight fight, but unfortunately instead, I'm hoping for a Vettel problem and an Alonso podium.

Sad way for a WDC to be decided, don't u think. But then again, U'de be happy cause Alonso won his 2nd title like that with a Schumie engine breakdown

[JHS18 0]

On the weather - I predict it to be raining heavily or not at all possibly when cars are on circuit, but maybe when they are not.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

On the weather - I predict it to be raining heavily or not at all possibly when cars are on circuit, but maybe when they are not.

Light rains for Saturday and some showers on Sunday is what I read...

[JHS18 0]

On the basis this is the first race in ages the weather has looked like it could play an impact, I'll share this.

A cold front is already forming across central Argentina this afternoon. It will intensify over the next 24 hours or so and then begin a slow trek north-eastwards. The latest projection is that the front will be slower moving than first thought and this has a huge potential impact for Sunday’s race.

Saturday’s forecast (as a result) now changes a little, because the focus of the rain has shifted foward by one day. It will be dry for much of the morning, extending into the early afternoon. Mainly cloudy conditions are expected for final practice, as outlying cloud from this front moves in over the region. Qualifying is on a knife-edge just for the moment, but with the projection moving forward timewise, we are now looking at a drier scenario for the knockout session, with just a slight chance of showers. Air temperature will peak at 33 Celsius and this could produce a thunderstorm or two by late afternoon.

The fun now begins on Saturday evening, with showers crossing the region overnight and into Sunday morning. Race day will start off overcast with some light showers around, but throughout the day these will intensify, with the worst of any rainfall now set for Sunday afternoon. Rainfall totals on Sunday range from one to two inches and the race is looking set to be wet, with some particularly heavy bursts at times. Air temperature will drop considerably to a maximum of 25 degrees Celsius.

To summarise, the worst of the rain is now predicted between midday and midnight local time on Sunday.

As ever, taken from www.f1weather.com

[Rainmaster 7]

I predict there will be weather.

In a sense, there would be justice in an Alonso title because he drove so well. In another, it doesn't feel right that a team like Ferrari that has under-delivered (relative to their finances) in terms of development, occasional strategy errors and re-hiring Massa should be vindicated for their approach or not punished for their mistakes. If they win, I hope they remember they owe it to Alonso and not themselves.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

There is another twist to the tale... There's something someone said over at JAonF1 that got me thinking and it could be true... Remember RB complaining about another team using a different paddle system which the FIA then prohibited, it could turn out to Be Ferrari. The reason why Massa could be coming "back up to form" is that he is harder on the tyres therefore he gets the tyre temperature up quicker. Same thing happened 2008 which negatively impacted Kimi. Which means that in rainy conditions it's going to be a challenge. I'm looking forward to how the Ferrari now behaves in rainy conditions, cause in my mind, they are going to struggle!

[JHS18 0]

I don't necessarily think they will struggle. In some ways, if it rains, it should favour Alonso based on the little time we've had rain in official sessions this year. The three that stand out are the race, obviously, at Malaysia, which Alonso won, and qualifying at Silverstone and Hockenheim, where Alonso was fastest both times.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

I don't necessarily think they will struggle. In some ways, if it rains, it should favour Alonso based on the little time we've had rain in official sessions this year. The three that stand out are the race, obviously, at Malaysia, which Alonso won, and qualifying at Silverstone and Hockenheim, where Alonso was fastest both times.

James, I am saying that the car was "altered" and is compromised by what happened a few races ago. I simply dont think it will be the best package for rainy conditions like at the beginning of the season again..

I realize this is all just speculative though...

[Massa 0]

But then again, U'de be happy cause Alonso won his 2nd title like that with a Schumie engine breakdown

And Schumacher was only ever in position to beat Alonso because Alonso had an engine breakdown at Monza. In fact, if you take the Schumacher engine failure at Suzuka out, Alonso still wins the title by 1 point (132 to 131). Next they'll say he only has one eyebrow...

In a sense, there would be justice in an Alonso title because he drove so well. In another, it doesn't feel right that a team like Ferrari that has under-delivered (relative to their finances) in terms of development, occasional strategy errors and re-hiring Massa should be vindicated for their approach or not punished for their mistakes. If they win, I hope they remember they owe it to Alonso and not themselves.

There would be justice in a Vettel title, too, because he drove so well, and his team was actually there for him. Either one will be the right champion.

[Rainmaster 7]

Oh, of course. I was just contrasting Alonso's brilliance with Ferrari's...not so brilliance.

[AleHop 0]

Wouldn't it be boring another title for Vettel once again this season? I think the other guy winning would be more fun. What's his name again?

[Quiet One 15]

Alonso does not deserve the title.

He deserves (finally) the recognition as a legend above eveybody else except Schumi among the still in activity. But the title? A title won on some alternator failure or some bizarre situation product of the weather?

Truth is RBR and Vettel were superior than Ferrari Alonso. It is also true that Vettel will only deserve it after Interlagos, not before.

How could Alonso "deserve" a championship this year? Well, ironically, the only way I can think of is if they pull another USGP move.