Felipe Massa brought Brazil's 13-year wait for a home winner at Interlagos to an end with an imperious performance in the final grand prix of 2006, but it was the fortunes of title rivals
Fernando Alonso and
Michael Schumacher that held the capacity crowd enthralled.
Even though the Spaniard went into the Brazilian Grand Prix needing just a point to clinch a second world title, and Schumacher started only tenth on the grid, there was still tension in the air as the 71 laps got underway, and the atmosphere remained to the end, despite Schumacher's afternoon not going to plan.
There was a sense of
deja vu as the grid formed up, with two future team-mates lining up alongside each at the front of field. Three years ago,
Kimi Raikkonen was the man staying put, and gridded alongside McLaren-bound Juan Montoya. This time around, with the Colombian already forging a career in NASCAR, it is the Finn on the move, ready to join poleman Massa at
Ferrari.
The feeling of 'seen it all before' continued as the pack filed into turn one. Although Massa, Raikkonen and, more importantly, Alonso, made it through safely, there was confusion further back, as a
Toyota and
BMW rubbed sidepods, causing those behind to take avoiding action or check up earlier and harder than expected. Among those caught out was
Mark Webber, the Australian jumping on the anchors and promptly being walloped up the rear by
Williams team-mate
Nico Rosberg.
The pair continued minus rear and front wing respectively but, where Webber made it back to the pits before being retired, Rosberg under-estimated the damage to his car and smacked the wall at the final corner. One year ago, the two white-and-blue cars made contact on lap one, on the start-finish straight, innocent victims of a lunge by
David Coulthard....
Rosberg's impact was enough to warrant the safety car, although the driver himself appeared relatively unhurt. However, despite five laps at reduced pace while the course workers cleared up the mess, the incident was to have deeper consequences.
