Brazilian Grand Prix

Brazil Grand Prix
Flag
Circuit	Autódromo José Carlos Pace
Laps	71
Circuit length km	4.309
Circuit length mi	2.677
Race length km	305.909
Race length mi	190.067
Most wins driver	Alain Prost (6)
Most wins constructor	McLaren (11)
Current year	2007
Winner	Kimi Räikkönen
Winning team	Ferrari
Winning time	1:28:15.270
Pole time	1:11.931
Pole driver	Felipe Massa
Pole team	Ferrari
Fastest lap	1:12.445
Fastest lap driver	Kimi Räikkönen
Fastest lap team	Ferrari

The Brazilian Grand Prix (Portuguese: Grande Prêmio do Brasil) is a Formula One championship race which occurs at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos, a district in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

A Brazilian Grand Prix was first held at Interlagos in 1972, although it was not part of the Formula One World Championship. The following year, however, the race was first included in the official calendar. In 1978 the Brazilian Grand Prix moved to Jacarepaguá in Rio de Janeiro, briefly returning to Interlagos for the next two seasons before becoming the sole host from 1981 onwards. In 1990 the Grand Prix returned to Interlagos, where it has stayed since. In 2005, for the first time, the Brazilian GP decided the World Championship, won by Fernando Alonso. On October 22, 2006, Felipe Massa won the Brazilian GP.

While the quality of its facilities are often questioned,Template:Fact the Interlagos circuit has created some of the most exciting and memorable races in recent Formula One history, and is regarded as one of the most challenging and exciting circuits on the F1 calendar. Along with Spa-Francorchamps, it is rare in that the circuit in its modern form is one of the few with a lengthy history in the sport not considered to have lost much of its mystique or challenge in its adaptation for the modern, much more safety-conscious era of 21st century Formula One.

Particularly memorable recent Brazilian Grands Prix include the 2003 race, which saw a maiden Grand Prix victory, highly unexpectedly, and amidst chaotic and unusual circumstances, for Jordan's Giancarlo Fisichella. Heavy rain before and during the race produced problems with tyre selection which caught out many teams, which allowed the weak Minardi team to have a real chance for victory the only time ever, because they were the only team who prepared to the rainfall, but their drivers were also soon out. And treacherous track conditions caused multiple drivers to spin out of the race, including then-reigning World Champion Michael Schumacher, ending a remarkable run of race finishes dating back to the German Grand Prix 2001. Amidst this, a number of drivers, including McLaren's Kimi Räikkönen and David Coulthard, led the race, and, when a heavy accident involving Renault's Fernando Alonso blocked the circuit and brought out the red flag, confusion reigned. Fisichella led the race at the time, having just overtaken Räikkönen; however, it was the Finn who was declared the race winner under the count back rule, which stipulates that the race result in such circumstances is taken from the running order two laps prior to the race being stopped. This decision was overturned days later in the FIA Court of Appeal in Paris after new evidence came to light which proved that Fisichella had crossed the finish line in the lead for a second time before Alonso's accident, and therefore was the rightful winner.

The 2001 Grand Prix was notable for marking the explosive arrival of Juan Pablo Montoya onto the Formula One scene. The Colombian driver stunningly muscled his way past Michael Schumacher early on and led easily until an incident in which Arrows' Jos Verstappen ran into the back of his Williams-BMW and ended his race. Montoya did eventually lay to rest the ghost of this event by winning the 2004 race in his final Grand Prix for Williams before moving to McLaren, holding off his future team-mate Kimi Räikkönen to take a hard-fought victory.

At the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso became the youngest ever Formula One World Champion at the 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix, his third place behind winner Juan Pablo Montoya and championship rival Kimi Räikkönen enough to clinch the title with two races remaining.

For 2006 the Brazilian Grand Prix, as in 2004, was moved to the prestigious position of hosting the final round of the season, in what was Michael Schumacher's farewell to Formula One. Starting from 10th position on the grid, Schumacher did an astonishing job on his last race. He fell to 19th position on the ninth lap due to a flat tyre caused by a minor collision with Giancarlo Fisichella when the former was trying to overturn the latter. After pitting for a new tyre he returned to the race, just in front of leader Massa, so almost being overlapped, passing several drivers to take the chequered flag in fourth place, after a dazzling passing manoeuvre on Kimi Räikkönen. His performance was not enough to give 'Schumi' his eighth trophy, as Fernando Alonso, who needed only one point to become World Champion again, finished in second place. Brazilian Felipe Massa took pole position and led the race from start to finish for the second victory of his career and celebrations from his Brazilian supporters.

In March 2008, the mayor of Sao Paulo announced that he had signed a new deal with Bernie Ecclestone to continue the holding of the Brazilian Grand Prix. This deal allows the Brazilian race to be on the calendar until 2015. With this, Interlagos is set for major improvements in its pit and paddock facilities.

Winners

Drivers

# Wins	Driver	Years Won
6	Alain Prost	1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990
4	Carlos Reutemann	1972, 1977, 1978, 1981
	Michael Schumacher	1994, 1995, 2000, 2002
2	Emerson Fittipaldi	1973, 1974
	Nelson Piquet	1983, 1986
	Nigel Mansell	1989, 1992
	Ayrton Senna	1991, 1993
	Mika Häkkinen	1998, 1999
	Juan Pablo Montoya	2004, 2005
1	Carlos Pace	1975
	Niki Lauda	1976
	Jacques Laffite	1979
	René Arnoux	1980
	Damon Hill	1996
	Jacques Villeneuve	1997
	David Coulthard	2001
	Giancarlo Fisichella	2003
	Felipe Massa	2006
	Kimi Räikkönen	2007

Constructors

Emboldened constructors are still competing in the Formula One championship

# Wins	Constructor	Years Won
11	McLaren	1974, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005
9	Ferrari	1976, 1977, 1978, 1989, 1990, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007
6	Williams	1981, 1986, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2004
3	Brabham	1972, 1975, 1983
2	Renault	1980, 1982
	Benetton	1994, 1995
1	Lotus	1973
	Ligier	1979
	Jordan	2003

By year

A light gray background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.

Year	Driver	Constructor	Location	Report
2007	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari	Interlagos	Report
2006	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	Interlagos	Report
2005	Juan Pablo Montoya	McLaren-Mercedes	Interlagos	Report
2004	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW	Interlagos	Report
2003	Giancarlo Fisichella	Jordan-Ford	Interlagos	Report
2002	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	Interlagos	Report
2001	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	Interlagos	Report
2000	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	Interlagos	Report
1999	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	Interlagos	Report
1998	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	Interlagos	Report
1997	Jacques Villeneuve	Williams-Renault	Interlagos	Report
1996	Damon Hill	Williams-Renault	Interlagos	Report
1995	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Renault	Interlagos	Report
1994	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Ford	Interlagos	Report
1993	Ayrton Senna	McLaren-Ford	Interlagos	Report
1992	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Interlagos	Report
1991	Ayrton Senna	McLaren-Honda	Interlagos	Report
1990	Alain Prost	Ferrari	Interlagos	Report
1989	Nigel Mansell	Ferrari	Jacarepaguá	Report
1988	Alain Prost	McLaren-Honda	Jacarepaguá	Report
1987	Alain Prost	McLaren-TAG	Jacarepaguá	Report
1986	Nelson Piquet	Williams-Honda	Jacarepaguá	Report
1985	Alain Prost	McLaren-TAG	Jacarepaguá	Report
1984	Alain Prost	McLaren-TAG	Jacarepaguá	Report
1983	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-BMW	Jacarepaguá	Report
1982	Alain Prost	Renault	Jacarepaguá	Report
1981	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	Jacarepaguá	Report
1980	René Arnoux	Renault	Interlagos	Report
1979	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Ford	Interlagos	Report
1978	Carlos Reutemann	Ferrari	Jacarepaguá	Report
1977	Carlos Reutemann	Ferrari	Interlagos	Report
1976	Niki Lauda	Ferrari	Interlagos	Report
1975	Carlos Pace	Brabham-Ford	Interlagos	Report
1974	Emerson Fittipaldi	McLaren-Ford	Interlagos	Report
1973	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	Interlagos	Report
1972	Carlos Reutemann	Brabham-Ford	Interlagos	Report

External links

• Brazilian Grand Prix (Official Site)