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Formula 1 title battle still on for Brazil finale

  • Published on 19 Nov 2012 08:41
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
F1 will have its championship finale in Brazil next Sunday, after Sebastian Vettel failed to win the US grand prix. But Red Bull's German further expanded his points lead over his never-say-die title rival Fernando Alonso in Austin, with the gap now 13 points with just the twentieth race of the season in Sao Paulo still lying ahead. "It's looking a bit better after today," said Vettel. "Now we have another step to make in Brazil."

Red Bull secured its third consecutive constructors' championship on Sunday, but the team was not really celebrating after Vettel was beaten to the flag by race winner Lewis Hamilton. Vettel was frustrated to have been passed by McLaren's Hamilton in the DRS zone, after the German was held up in the preceding corners by backmarker Narain Karthikeyan. "That wasn't your fault," team boss Christian Horner told Vettel - who had sounded furious on the radio – afterwards. "It's going to be a busy week ahead of us," Horner said on British television Sky.

But the mathematics are very much in Red Bull's favour, because even if Ferrari's Alonso wins at Interlagos next week, Vettel would only have to finish fourth to be champion. With a looming forecast of rain for Brazil, however, Alonso - who climbed from seventh on the grid to third at the chequered flag on Sunday - is not giving up. "You've been brilliant all season," F1 legend Mario Andretti told Alonso on the podium, "and obviously you're fighting to the end."

Reliability could also be a factor, as Vettel's teammate Mark Webber retired on Sunday with yet another failed alternator, even though supplier Renault had debuted a new specification this weekend. "Very much so, it (reliability) is so fragile," Red Bull's Adrian Newey admitted on Sunday. "Renault haven't managed to find a proper solution to that one." (GMM)

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F1 News Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton Sebastian Vettel Renault Ferrari McLaren Red Bull Racing

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Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
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Brazil Interlagos
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United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
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Qatar Losail International Circuit
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United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
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ES Fernando Alonso 14
  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 533
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  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (42)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
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