<I>Crash.net</I> preview - Brazilian Grand Prix.

The 2006 Formula One season finally draws to a close after seven-and-a-half months of fluctuating fortunes, not least for the two men left standing with a chance of the world championship.

For the second time in three years, Interlagos, on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, plays host to the season finale but, this time does so with all to play for, both in the drivers' championship and that for the constructors, although only two drivers and two constructors remain in with a shout of glory.

The 2006 Formula One season finally draws to a close after seven-and-a-half months of fluctuating fortunes, not least for the two men left standing with a chance of the world championship.

For the second time in three years, Interlagos, on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, plays host to the season finale but, this time does so with all to play for, both in the drivers' championship and that for the constructors, although only two drivers and two constructors remain in with a shout of glory.

Fernando Alonso heads back to Brazil poised to take the crown, as he did three races from the end last year, while Renault holds a slim advantage over Ferrari in the teams' competition. The venue, however, provides the perfect setting for drama, with its undulating layout and unpredictable weather conditions, and copuld yet throw one final twist into the plot.

Ironically, the championship scenario remains exactly as it was heading to Suzuka, with Schuamcher needing a win, with his rival not scoring, to clinch the crown - and even then on countback of victories across the season. The German's retirement in Japan has swung the initiative back in Alonso's favour, however, as the Renault man now needs just a single point to take back-to-back titles.

In teh constructors' championship, Renault's nine-point advantage is easier to overturn, but the regie would need 'only' to finish third and fourth to counteract a Ferrari 1-2. That, of course, puts greater pressure on Alonso to race for position, rather than settling for the eighth place that he would need for his own glory, and also ignores the fact that McLaren will be hoping to end the year with a win, and Honda will be looking to get both Jenson Button and, perhaps more importantly, Rubens Barrichello onto the podium.

And the title isn't the only honour up for grabs in the drivers' chase, with Giancarlo Fisichella and Felipe Massa split by a single point as they scrap over third place. With their team leaders, and the constructors' battle, to think about, their's will be a race to watch as well.

FIA F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS:

Although there have been two weeks since the last round of the world championship, little of note has happened on the F1 front, the calm before the storm perhaps.

Jerez testing, the final session before the autumn hiatus, was dominated by Ferrari, with Marc Gene and Schumacher topping the times on the first three days. The German had not been scheduled to test, but cancelled a holiday to attend, making a mockery of his own claim that the title had been lost at Suzuka. Schumacher continued to insist that he was working towards constructors' success for the Scuderia... Robert Kubica topped the final day, but had only Alex Wurz and Narain Karthikeyan as opposition.

Organisers of the Turkish Grand Prix served notice of an appeal against the record fine imposed on them for a breach of podium protocol at this year's event. The FIA slapped a $5million punishment on the event after Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat presented the winner's trophy to Felipe Massa, having been announced as the 'president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus'. Despite getting off lightly - many expected Turkey to be cast into the motorsport wilderness - the antional motorsport authority and the event organisers are both lobbying to have the fine reduced.

Turkey will definitely be joined on next year's calendar by Belgium, after Spa's return to the schedule was confirmed at a signing ceremony attended by Bernie Ecclestone. The current deal is for just one year, however, with three options on the table to cover 2008-10, including one for Ecclestone to take over promotion of the event himself.

Prodrive's new F1 arm has confirmed that, despite rumours to the contrary, it has no intention of selling on its 2008 entry as the row over teams using others' chassis technology lingers on. The Banbury-based concern told Crash.net that it was continuing to talk to potential suppliers, and would be on the grid in 18 months' time.

Renault revealed Dutch financial firm ING as its primary backer for 2007, replacing Japan Tobacco as cigarette sponsorship is stubbed out for good at the end of the year. No word was recieved on the colour scheme of the cars to be raced by Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen next year, although suggestions of an orange-and-blue machine ar ebeing played down.

On the driver front, the most significant event pre-Brazil turned out to be a non-event as Lewis Hamilton was denied a debut with McLaren at Interlagos. Team and driver both insisted that there was nothing to be gained by rushing him into a race seat. Hamilton remains favourite to partner Alonso at McLaren next season, although Pedro de la Rosa has one more race, plus winter testing, to stake his claim. Gary Paffett, the only other contender, is apparently being hawked around other teams in the hope of landing a role.

One man confirmed in employment for 2007 is Franck Montagny, whose deal to join Toyota as test and reserve lynchpin was finally revealed on the eve of the final round. The Frenchman repalces Renault-bound Ricardo Zonta and the retiring - from F1 at least - Olivier Panis.

NEWS FROM THE TEAMS:

Renault - Fernando Alonso (#1), Giancarlo Fisichella (#2):

If China appeared to be a watershed for Renault, with the team apparently throwing away victory - and a possible 1-2 finish - Japan reveresed its fortunes, with Fernando Alonso winning a grand prix seemingly destined for Michael Schumacher.

The Spaniard was tailing the German when the Ferrari driver's engine let go, but had been in damage limitation mode as Schumacher dominated from the start. The failure, however, handed the title initiative back to Alonso - even if he is refusing to pay any attention to his rival's 'it's over' claims.

"I don't think it is over at all," he insisted, "Until the final lap, when you know you are champion, anything can still happen and we are taking nothing for granted. So we know that there is still a job to do, and we are focused on it. I think our aim has to be to do a normal weekend, to get the maximum from the car without any big risks, and to finish the job. If we have our usual performance, fighting at the front, then we will achieve our targets."

Interlagos, of course, is Alonso's final race with the regie ahead of a much-publicised switch to McLaren for 2007, and he is determined to go out on a high at an event that already holds memories - good and bad - for him.

"I think it makes this a very special weekend for me, and gives me extra motivation to do the maximum for all my friends and team-mates," he said of his impending exit, "It is also the last race for Michelin in this period, and both Renault and Michelin have done so much for me in the six seasons since I started in F1. I think it is impossible to give back to them everything they have given to me since 2001. The only way I can try is to have a fantastic final race and to win the title so we can finish our relationship in the right way, with a celebration.

"Of course, Brazil will always hold unique memories from winning the championship there in 2005 - and the fact we are fighting for it again in 2006 makes it even more important. It is a fantastic place, where you can really feel the emotion and the passion of F1. Brazil has a long tradition in the sport with many famous drivers, so you have the history too. It is great to be racing in this country, and especially with so much at stake at the end of the season."

Team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella heads to Brazil - the scene of his first F1 win - chasing third in the drivers' standings and also hoping to propel Renault to a second straight constructors' cup.

"I go into this race with the aim of doing the absolute maximum to win," the Italian insists, "You cannot drive with the idea that only points are good enough, you have to be aggressive, to attack and aim for the top of the podium. It is too early to make any predictions about performance until we see the cars running on Friday, but "My objective will be to fight at the front of the field, and score maximum points for myself and the team.

"We know that the R26 is competitive after our performance in Suzuka, and Michelin has done a fantastic job in the last races. That means we are fighting at the front in all conditions."

Technical director Bob Bell confirms that the team will not be going on the defensive in Brazil.

"The most important thing will be to change nothing, and to not feel pressured to do so," he explained, "We go to every race weekend aiming to win, and we will approach Brazil in the same way. We want to do our normal job, and take nothing for granted. We will race hard and react accordingly should the circumstances of the race demand it. There are many mathematical scenarios that could see us win or lose, but for the team, it will be business as usual. I think we have always believed that the best to win championships is by winning races.

"Make no mistake: Michael will be racing flat out in Brazil, as always. His hallmark trait is that he never gives up, and that is why he has been testing in Jerez since Japan. And he has an extra reason to be going flat out in Interlagos. This will be the last race of his career, and I am sure he is determined to go out on a high."

McLaren - Kimi Raikkonen (#3), Pedro de la Rosa (#4):

While Kimi Raikkonen's impending departure for Ferrari and uncertainy over the identity of the second driver for next year will perhaps take precedence at McLaren this weekend, there is still the niggling matter of a big fat zero in the win column so far this season.

Not since 1996 has the Woking team gone winless, and Raikkonen and Pedro de la Rosa will be looking to put that right. The Finn, who lost the 2003 victory in Brazil to Giancarlo Fisichella after the race was red-flagged, will take comfort in the team's record in South America, where it has won the Brazilian GP four times in eight years. Mika Hakkinen started the ball rolling in 1998 and 1989, while David Coulthard took the honours in 2001 and Juan Montoya last year, heading a 1-2 in front of Raikkonen. This weekend's race is Raikkonen's final outing as a McLaren Mercedes driver, adding extra impetus to his efforts.

"I have always had dramatic races in Brazil, and I guess the track encourages exciting racing," he said, "The atmosphere is always amazing, the Paulistas are crazy and I hope we can put on a great race for them.

"Overtaking is possible here - there are a number of places, but you need good grip to be quick. This will be my final race with Team McLaren Mercedes, and I am, of course, sad to be leaving. We have had some great times together and it would be fantastic to go out with a win. It is going to be tough, but we are all pushing hard to try and make it happen."

de la Rosa's motivation will come from the hype surrounding Lewis Hamilton ahead of next season. The Briton is being tipped to partner Fernando Alonso in 2007, and de la Rosa has one race left to stake a claim to an all-Spanish line-up.

"After the disappointing race we had in Suzuka, I am looking forward to getting back on track and working with the team to finish the year on a high," he said, "The test in Jerez [last] week has been positive, with a lot of the focus on tyres with Michelin. As a result, we feel confident we will be able to get more out of them at Interlagos."

McLaren CEO is hoping that the unforeseen circumstances involving the leaders in the most recent couple of races can contrive to give his team that missing win in Brazil.

"It is fair to say that the 2006 season has been far from ideal and, as a result, it would be fantastic for the team and our partners to bring the season to a close with a victory," he said, "There has been a massive final push by everyone involved toward making this happen in Brazil. As with any race, this will be a challenge, but you cannot predict anything in motor racing as we have seen over the past few races.

"This race marks a definite end of an era for us as a racing organisation with the departure of Kimi. As we go into the winter, however, we have exciting prospects ahead of us for the coming season and the motivation and determination within the team is incredibly high."

Ferrari - Michael Schumacher (#5), Felipe Massa (#6):

Still involved in the hunt for both championships, Ferrari knows that nothing less than victory will suffice on Sunday and, even though he personally denies it is possible, Michel Schumacher will still have at least half an eye on upsetting the odds and clinching an eighth drivers' crown to wear into retirement.

The build up to the last grand prix of the year has the added spice of being Schumacher's last after more than a decade at the top of his sport and, although he needs a win and the fates to fall in his favour this weekend, his competitive spirit will keep pushing him forward.

"Overall, I am positive and this makes me enthusiastic about this race," he said, "I have already said that I would like to win the constructors' title for my team, and our tactic will be to attack. It would be wonderful to win this last grand prix for us all.

"This is my last race and I have to say that I am pleased that it is taking place in Brazil. Interlagos is fascinating and I have always liked it, especially as it is not a simple one to drive - it is a great physical challenge. We have a great squad and, over recent years, I have had Brazilian partners and this has given us even more support. [Winning] would be an occasion for a huge party."

Current team-mate Felipe Massa is,. of course, numbered among those Brazilian partners, and the youngster - who remains on board next season alongside Kimi Raikkonen - is keen to give his countrymen a race to remember.

"For Brazilian race drivers, the Brazilian Grand Prix is, of course, very important," he confirmed, "Although we come in for a lot of media attention and there is a great deal of pressure on us to do well, it is not something that bothers me too much and I can deal with it quite well - although, of course, I have never raced at Interlagos with Ferrari, in a car that is capable of winning!

"I am very motivated to do well here but, of course, given the situation in the drivers' classification, for me to win the Brazilian Grand Prix would mean that Alonso is in a point-scoring position. If he is not, then my race will take on a different direction and it will be no problem for me to help Michael. I will even be happy to help him!"

Toyota - Ralf Schumacher (#7), Jarno Trulli (#8):

A long, hard season comes to an end for Toyota, as for any other team, this weekend, but the Cologne-based squad has one last battle to be fought. After a double points finish at its 'home' race in Japan last time out, hopes are high for a positive end to the season, with fifth place in the constructors' championship in its sights, but with BMW Sauber racing for the same goal and currently enjoying a one-point advantage.

Both Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli are chasing top ten positions in the drivers' championship and look forward to returning to Interlagos, despite mixed memories of past races there.

"Interlagos is one of the most demanding tracks on the calendar - both for the drivers and for the technical team," the German comments, "For the drivers, it is difficult because of the bumps, even though it is less bumpy than it used to be after they changed the track surface.

"This weekend is the end of a challenging year for us, but we have worked hard and improved a lot in the second half of the season. I had a pretty tough race in Brazil last year, but I at least managed to get into the top eight. I think we can do the same this year - but I hope this time I can score more than one point!"

"I have always enjoyed the Brazilian Grand Prix," Trulli echoes, "Interlagos is a technically demanding track and I enjoy the mix of low and high speed sections, even if, last year, I had a weekend to forget, losing ten places on the grid before getting stuck in traffic in the race. I hope to improve on that and, after our strong performance in Japan, end the year with a result for the whole team to celebrate."

Williams F1 - Mark Webber (#9), Nico Rosberg (#10):

If Toyota has gradually managed to salvage its season, the same cannot be said for Williams, which heads to Brazil facing its worst points return for many years. The team is another to be bidding farewell to parts of its 2006 line-up after the race too, with Mark Webber and Cosworth both heading in the opposite direction - the engine manufacturer possibly for good.

With one eye on next season and its impending relationship with Toyota, Williams will run its two FW28s in the same specification as was raced in both China and Japan, but with tyres selected for Brazil after a four-day test in Spain featuring Alex Wurz and Narain Karthikeyan. Cosworth, however, is determined to go out on a high and, having been reputed to have the highest-revving engine in F1 this year, will fit its most powerful unit yet to Webber's car.

"The 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix is likely to be the last race for Cosworth as a Formula One engine supplier," head of F1 race engineering Simon Corbyn admits, "The objective from the outset of the CA2006 programme was to deliver the benchmark new generation V8 Formula One engine, and we believe we achieved that in terms of engine performance, reliability and also engineering support to WilliamsF1. However, Mark will start the weekend with a fresh Series 6 engine and will run an engine duty cycle specifically for Brazil which will allow the engine to run at 20,000rpm for the entire race. Cosworth will be going all out to add to our tally of 176 wins in 39 seasons of Formula One."

For Webber, the race will mark the end of two disappointing years with a team he always dreamed of joining, before he 'returns' to Red Bull Racing.

"It's been a long and tough season for everyone at Williams but, with one event remaining, we'll be doing our utmost to extract the best possible result from the package we have," the Australian says, "Interlagos will mark my last race for the team and, of course, it would be nice to sign off with a strong result for the boys."

Team-mate Nico Rosberg will be making his first appearance at Interlagos, and admits that he ahs a lot tom learn. However, that was the case in Bahrain at the start of the year, and the German left his debut with a point and fastest lap...

"The Interlagos track is completely new for me, so I'm going to need to learn it fast," the inaugural GP2 champion confirmed, "I will probably be at the track on Wednesday to have a close look at it with our engineers but, performance-wise, it's important that we build on the progress that we made in Japan. I hope that the Bridgestone tyres are as strong in Brazil as they were in Suzuka."

Honda Racing F1 - Rubens Barrichello (#11), Jenson Button (#12):

As well as being the home grand prix for Rubens Barrichello, the Brazilian GP weekend will also be particularly poignant for the Honda team as it marks the final race for former team owner and title sponsor British American Tobacco, after nine years of involvement in Formula One. With that as added motivation, the team hopes to end the season on a high despite being mired in no man's land in fourth place in the constructors' championship.

In order to keep both Barrichello and BAT happy, however, the squad will have to overcome the Brazilian's lack of good fortune at his home event.

"My home race in Brazil is very special to me and always gives me a little bit of extra motivation," Barrichello admits, "I was born very close to Interlagos and, whenever I dream about racing, it's always around this track.

"The first race that I saw there as a spectator was in 1980, when Rene Arnoux beat Elio de Angelis, and I've wanted to win it ever since. It is frustrating that I've never won at home, especially as I should have won in 2003, when was a problem with the fuel. I had such a robust car that year, yet it decided to let me down in my home race! The race weekend itself always goes by so fast, because it is really hectic, but it's still one of the most enjoyable weekends of the year for me."

Honda's upswing in recent races - including a scoring finish in every race since Germany - is underlined by Barrichello's team-mate, Jenson Button, who has scored more points than any driver since his first victory in Hungary in August.

"It's great to be heading into the final race of the season with a run of solid points finishes under our belts - it really goes to show just how much progress we've made in the second half of the season," the Briton says, "I know no-one is thinking too much about 2007 yet, but it's always important to end the season on a high note as it's a great motivator as the team prepares for next year's campaign.

"I think we can expect the same level of performance in Brazil that we have enjoyed in the past few races. The engine was looking strong in Japan and I think the car will be well suited to this track. It should be a great climax to the season."

Red Bull Racing - David Coulthard (#14), Robert Doornbos (#15):

Brazil promises to be another tough weekend for the Red Bull Racing squad, as David Coulthard and Robert Doornbos continue to run the 'under-deveoped' - if the Scot is to be believed - RB2.

Condemned by DC after qualifying in Japan, the car will have its swansong at Interlagos before being replasced next season by the first product of Adrian Newey's Red Bull-liveried quill. For some, it cannot come too soon...

"Under Adrian Newey's leadership, we have one of the strongest groups in F1, and we made a strategic decision earlier in the summer to turn off the development on the current car to focus on the development of RB3 - next year's car - which will be a significant step forward for us," team boss Christian Horner told Britain's ITV netowrk, "It was a very simple and straightforward decision to make to put all our eggs in one basket behind Adrian rather than splitting our resource. Inevitably, there is a bit of short-term pain, but we are expecting to see some longer term gain from it."

Following Christian Klien's premature departure, Robert Doornbos completes his trio of races alongside Coulthard, and will be looking for a return to his Chinese form after Suzuka replaced a top ten grid slot with an exit in the first round of qualifying.

BMW Sauber - Nick Heidfeld (#16), Robert Kubica (#17):

The inaugural campaign for the BMW Sauber team ends with a top five place up for grabs - but only if Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica can combine to thwart the intentions of an up-and-down Toyota squad.

Currently fifth in the constructors' championship by one point, BMW Sauber knows that it will have to turn in the sort of performance that led to podiums in Hungary and Italy, rather than the disappointing disaplay from Japan two weeks ago. The German returns to Interlagos with good memories of the circuit from his previous Sauber days.

"I always enjoy coming to Sao Paulo as, not only is Interlagos one of my favourite circuits, but I also love the flight path into the city - it's incredible to be hovering for minutes on end above those endless housing districts and shanty towns," he says, "Of course, my fondest memory is of winning my first podium place here in 2001, after a difficult race in wet conditions. Everything worked out and I was able to take third place on the podium next to David Coulthard and Michael Schumacher."

Rookie team-mate Kubica is unusual in that he has prior Interlagos experience, despite not having been raised on a diet of South American racing.

"I know the track from racing there in 2002 in Formula Renault, after I was invited for the last round of the Brazilian championship," he explains, "It is a very nice track and I like the configuration, even though it is a bit bumpy. There is a really big uphill section that you cannot see on television after the last corner, which brings you to the main straight. There are some difficult corners, but I think it will be a good experience to go back to Interlagos with Formula One."

While third driver Sebastian Vettel looks forward to experiencing what he already knows of Brazil - "Carnival, nice girls, good weather, football, magic, rainforest" - the team's technical heads will be focused on extending that gap back to Toyota.

"We came back from the two Asian races with three points and are heading for Brazil and the final race of the season one point clear of Toyota," motorsport director Mario Theissen confirms, "We will do everything we can to defend this position even though, even before the last race, it is quite clear that we have achieved more than we could have expected in our first season with the BMW-run team.

"In qualifying, we made it into the top ten 17 times, and on one occasion even got onto the second row of the grid. In the 17 races so far, we have made it into the points 15 times and even taken two podium places thanks to Nick in Budapest and Robert in Monza. The bottom line is that we are ahead of schedule but, even more important than that, is the fact that we have made steady progress during the course of the season. We are on a good path."

Spyker MF1 Racing - Tiago Monteiro (#18), Christijan Albers (#19):

With new owners and the season drawing to a close, Spyker MF1 continues to ring the changes at Interlagos with its fourth different reserve driver in as many events. This time, GP2 Series frontrunner Ernesto Viso takes over from Adrian Sutil to make his F1 debut.

While Friday's two practice sessions will provide a platform for the Venezuelan to stake his claim to the one remaining race seat in the team for next year, the race line-up is unchanged for Brazil, with Christijan Albers - already signed up for 2007 - and Tiago Monteiro seeking to break Spyker's points duck. Even though the team has shown more promise than the Midland/Jordan team it replaced, it remains scoreless.

"It's the last race, and it's amazing how quickly it goes," Monteiro admits, "Our goal is still to try and get a point. It's going to be difficult, but we're here to fight until the last minute of the last lap.

"We didn't have so many opportunities this time, so we don't have any points yet, but we've been a lot more competitive. It's a bit of a mixed feeling - it was good to be closer in qualifying, being able to go into the second group sometimes, fighting for positions on track with other drivers, which didn't happen last year much, but, on the other side, there's been a lot of reliability from the other teams, not many people going off, not many people stopping on the track, and therefore not many chances to score points for us!"

Albers, meanwhile, was present at Silverstone last week, testing tyres for the final round - and benefiting from better weather than temporary team-mate Viso 'enjoyed' for his maiden run. The Dutchman, however, will be looking for similar fortune, having had his Japanese GP end abruptly after a dramatic driveshaft failure.

"I saw the right rear wheel passing me, and also the rear wing," he reflects, "But that's life - you drive F1 and you get paid for things like that. It's not like I'm sitting on a bicycle going to school! But it's a shame for the boys, because we were quite competitive, like we were in Turkey. With the car we have at this moment we can't go quicker but, if we get everything together really well, and prepare really well, then we have a chance.

"I think I should go maximum attack for Brazil, although it is a track where we need top speed. We don't have that, but Japan was a track where you need top speed, and we were still competitive."

Scuderia Toro Rosso - Vitantonio Liuzzi (#20), Scott Speed (#21):

Scuderia Toro Rosso completes its maiden season at the Brazilian Grand Prix, and will look back on the year with mixed emotions.

Mistakes from its rookie drivers were perhaps inevitable, but it has become noticeable recently that team boss Gerhard Berger has tired of their excesses, particularly the number of spins that Tonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed have endured. Running with the venerable Cosworth V10 has also held the team back, leaving it with just a single point to show for its efforts, but it can at least complete Interlagos knowing that Renault or Ferrari power awaits next year.

Like Shanghai and Suzuka, Interlagos will be a new circuit to both drivers, requiring yet another learning curvew to be scaled, but the track's tricky nature, its unpredictable climate and the end-of-term feel to the weekend may yet play into the hands of messrs Liuzzi and Speed...

Super Aguri F1 - Takuma Sato (#22), Sakon Yamamoto (#23):

Like Toro Rosso, Super Aguri F1 also closes the first chapter inits F1 existence at Interlagos, and, like Spyker MF1, the team is hoping to end its season with at least one point.

The rookie team travels to South America still flying high from the massive support it received at Suzuka two weekends ago, and team leader Takuma Sato is keen to capitalise on the increased motivation.

"It is funny, but I have mixed feelings coming to this race as the season seems to have gone so quickly, but has also been a long one at the same time," he said, "Following a fantastic double-header in China and Japan, the motivation within the team is high and, to finish strongly in Brazil, the last race of the season, is very important to us. I believe that we now have a strong car package, as we were able to show that we are competitive during the last race."

Team-mate Sakon Yamamoto is anotehr who will be discovering Interlagos for the first time, and is keen to do a good job as his seat comes under fire for next season.

"I only started participating in Formula One halfway through the season, but so many things have happened since then, and time has flown by so quickly, that I cannot believe that it is already the Brazilian Grand Prix - the last race of the season," he said, "Things haven't necessarily been easy, but I managed to finish the race in Suzuka, which is the circuit where I grew up. I would very much like to keep this flow going and do my best, together with the team, to achieve the best result possible for the last race of the season."

Team principal Aguri Suzuki insists that the squad heads into the winter break satisfied with its progress, but determined to come back even stronger next year.

"Looking back over this season, it has been a long uphill climb for SAF1, but we have come a long way under very difficult circumstances, having started the season with what was essentially an old car," he said, "As we have proved at the last race in Japan, we are now not just making up the numbers, but are becoming a competitor. I am hoping that we shall be able to continue this great roll into Brazil and pick up some great results again."

TYRES:

Although both tyre manufacturers remain in the hunt for the year's titles, a lot of attention will fall on Michelin in Brazil, as the French company prepares to bow out of Formula One.

The final race of the year will be Michelin's 216th grand prix, and Brazil is an appropriate stage for the company's farewell, as it was at Rio de Janeiro's Jacarepagua circuit, on 29 January 1978, that it scored the first of its 102 F1 victories.

"We are approaching the last race of the 2006 season and, indeed, Michelin's final Formula One race for the foreseeable future," Formula One director Nick Shorrock admitted, "We were hoping for a hard-fought campaign and it has been every bit as competitive as we expected it would be. Who could have foreseen such a topsy-turvy, incident-packed championship?"

After mixed conditions in both China and Japan, Shorrock insists that he would not be surprised to see more wet weather this weekend, potentially giveing his product an edge over its Bridgestone rival.

"Although Brazil was traditionally one of the early fixtures during the F1 season, it moved to the end of the schedule in 2004 and there is an appreciable chance of rain," he explained, "Track temperatures are likely to be variable, too. Given the potentially fluctuating conditions, the products we have chosen for Interlagos need a broad operational spectrum and we selected them as late as possible in accordance with the most up-to-date forecasts. If it stays cold, there is a risk of graining and tyres need a higher degree of rigidity. In warmer weather, the possibility of blistering can limit rear-tyre performance, and the selected products are similar in character to those that worked so well in Budapest - and that includes the rain tyres.

"We go to Brazil with one of our partners leading both world championships and we are obviously determined to bow out of F1 on a high note."

Bridgestone are also determined to do well: "Not only is this the last race of the season, and an important one for the various championships, but it is also the last race for the foreseeable future competing against another tyre manufacturer in F1. We are therefore extremely motivated to see our teams get good results this weekend," said Bridgestone's director of motorsport, Hiroshi Yasukaea. "For Michael Schumacher in particular this will be a very poignant weekend. The atmosphere at the Brazilian Grand Prix is always electric and the support from the spectators makes this a great venue to finish what has been a fantastically exciting year. After all the hard work of this long season it just remains now for us to wish the Bridgestone shod teams and drivers the very best of luck for this weekend."

THE TRACK:

Race Distance: 71 laps - Circuit Length: 2.693 miles (4.309km)

The anti-clockwise Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace was built in a natural bowl that has gradually been absorbed by the sprawling city of Sao Paulo. The original track, first used in 1940, twisted around itself between two lakes, hence the name Interlagos, but the new, shorter, version misses out much of the old track even if it retains the original's stand-out feature - a steep start line straight.

Frequently run on a very bumpy surface, despite regular relaying of the tarmac, the Brazilian Grand Prix invariably proves to be a true test of durability for man and machine, heightened by the fact that the Interlagos circuit is one of the fiew - along with Imola and Istanbul - to run in an anti-clockwise direction. The 4.3km circuit consists of 13 medium and slow speed corners, nine left and four right, and has a blend of long, fast straights and gradient changes.

With such a varied layout, set-up compromises are inevitable, and the challenge lies in achieving optimal aerodynamic efficiency around the lap. Interlagos is a notoriously bumpy circuit, so not only is it draining on the drivers, but the cars must have a good mechanical balance for drivability. Combined with the bumps, the track is also particularly abrasive, so harder compound tyres must be selected to ensure their survival. Engines are also under intense pressure in Brazil, with the long straights demanding extensive periods at full throttle and high revs, while the high altitude and thinning air saps approximately eight per cent of overall power around the lap.

For the racers, there are plenty of overtaking opportunities, but Sao Paulo also throws up its own unpredictable weather, which can cause additional problems as water drains off the hills surrounding the circuit. The atmosphere - come rain or shine - however, makes Interlagos one of the more intoxicating venues to visit, with the passionate Brazilian fans adding to the spectacle.

THE WINNER?

With the championship battle skewed by events in Japan, it will be interesting to see whether the two title combatants get to run head-to-head this weekend. The form book would suggest that Schumacher retains the upper hand, weather permitting, and the German has it all to do, win or bust. With Alonso needing only a points finish, it will be down the Spaniard's ability to restrain his racer's instinct if he is to play it safe, but expect Schumacher to be the man to beat whatever.

The second drivers at both Ferrari and Renault will again have a (hopefully clean) hand to play in the result, although Massa will surely not be allowed to take a home win until Schumacher's title hopes are finally dashed. Fisichella, however, could be used as a hare to try and draw out any Ferrari frailty, especially with Renault also holding the upper hand in the teams' battle.

Kimi Raikkonen and Pedro de la Rosa will be looking to give McLaren at least one win this year, as the team faces its first winless season in the past decade, while Rubens Barrichello will be hoping that his switch to Honda can finally end his Interlagos jinx.

LAST SEASON:

Juan Montoya may have won the Brazilian Grand Prix, beating McLaren team-mate Kimi Raikkonen to the line to end the team's 1-2 drought, but the accolades at Interlagos were mainly directed at Fernando Alonso, whose third place was enough to make him the youngest-ever world champion.

Montoya led from almost from start to finish, headed initially by poleman Alonso and then only seeing Raikkonen ease ahead owing to their different strategies. Alonso, meanwhile, ran second through the mid-part, having been passed by Montoya at an early restart, before eventually succumbing to Raikkonen's charge from fifth on the grid. Secure in third, however, the Spaniard was able to take a risk-free approach to ending his year's ambition, Michael Schumacher's Ferrari too far adrift to be in a position to steal away the podium finish required to end the title race in Brazil.

In truth, the race was largely uneventful, perhaps symbolising the anti-climactic end to the title fight itself, with action at start and finish to provide talking points, and little else of note - save Tiago Monteiro's first F1 retirement - in the middle.

1. Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia McLaren-Mercedes 71 laps 01:29:20.574
2. Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLaren-Mercedes +2.527
3. Fernando Alonso Spain Renault-Renault +24.840
4. Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari-Ferrari +35.668
5. Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault-Renault +40.218
6. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari +69.173
7. Jenson Button Britain BAR-Honda +1 lap
8. Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota-Toyota +1 lap

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