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Grand Prix of Brazil Preview

October 21, 2007 
Interlagos 
Sao Paolo, Brazil 
Round 17 of 17 in Grand Prix Series

Laps: 71 
Track length: 2.67 miles 
Race length: 192 miles

Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya, 1:11.473 (2004)


DRIVERS TO WATCH
----------------

Fernando Alonso (Spain)
Team: McLaren 
2007 Points: 103 (2nd)

Closed the gap to four points behind rookie teammate and series
leader Lewis Hamilton by running second to Kimi Raikkonen at
China; retired after just two laps at Japan after an accident;
finished third at Belgium and won the Italian Grand Prix;
finished third at the Turkish Grand Prix and ran fourth in
Hungary prior to that; won the Grand Prix of Europe to also
climb within two points of Hamilton on July 22; has finished in
the top five in 14 of 16 starts this season; finished seventh at
both the French and Canadian Grands Prix; placed second at the
Santander British Grand Prix and was runner-up to Hamilton at
Indianapolis; won at Monaco and ran third at hometown Spanish
Grand Prix; stormed to an easy victory at Malaysia and
registered a second-place finish in his McLaren debut at
Australia, finishing 7.2 seconds behind Raikkonen; finished
second to Felipe Massa at this race last season to clinch the
2006 Formula One championship.


Lewis Hamilton (Britain)
Team: McLaren 
2007 Points: 107 (1st)

The points leader needs to only finish immediately behind Alonso
to claim the championship; retired from the race at China to
give his teammate a chance to steal the crown in the final race;
won at Japan two races ago to open a 12-point lead over Alonso
with two races left; ran fourth at Belgium and ran second to
Alonso at Italy; finished fifth in Turkey two weeks after
winning the Hungarian Grand Prix; finished ninth at the Grand
Prix of Europe; took third in back-to-back races at the British
Grand Prix and Magny-Cours after making history at Canada where
he became the first black driver to win a Formula One race;
followed that victory in Canada by winning the United States
Grand Prix; placed second in four consecutive races prior to his
back-to-back wins; rookie sensation has burst onto the circuit
by storm, running third at Australia and placing second at
Malaysia, Bahrain, Spain and Monaco; finished 18 seconds behind
Alonso at Malaysia and is the first rookie in series history
since 1964 to capture podium finishes in his first three races;
also is the first black driver in series history; has finished
among the top five in all but two starts this year.


Nick Heidfeld (Germany)
Team: BMW Sauber 
2007 Points: 58 (5th)

Finished seventh in China after running 14th at Japan to remain
fifth in the standings; was fifth at Belgium and prior to that
had consecutive fourth-place finishes at Italy and Turkey; was
third in Hungary following consecutive sixth-place finishes over
the previous two races; still seeking first win of the season;
opened the year with three consecutive fourth place finishes at
Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain; had best race of the season at
Canada where he finished second; forced to retire at Spain and
the United States Grand Prix; has nine top-five finishes in 16
starts this year; ran 17th at this race last season.


Felipe Massa (Brazil)
Team: Ferrari 
2007 Points: 86 (4th)

Ran third at China and finished sixth at Japan, three spots
behind teammate Kimi Raikkonen and now trails his Ferrari
teammate by 14 points for third place; ran second to Raikkonen
at Belgium; retired from the Italian Grand Prix with suspension
problems, dropping to fourth place in the standings; bounced
back from a 13th-place finish at Hungary by winning in Turkey;
posted a runner-up finish at the Grand Prix of Europe after
slipping to fourth place following a fifth place finish British
Grand Prix; was runner-up to Raikkonen at Magny-Cours; also was
black-flagged at Canada; ran third at Indianapolis and Monaco
after capturing two straight checkered flags at Bahrain and
Spain; finished fifth at Malaysia; kicked off his campaign with
a sixth place at Australia; has 10 top five finishes in 16
starts this season; won this race last year.


Kimi Raikkonen (Finland)
Team: Ferrari 
2007 Points: 100 (3rd)

Won the China Grand Prix following a third at Japan, but trails
Hamilton by seven points heading into the final race; would need
to win the race in Brazil and have Hamilton come home no higher
than sixth to steal the title; won at Belgium and finished
third at Italy to move up to third in the standings; ran second
at Turkey, following a runner-up finish Hungary; retired from
the Grand Prix of Europe after consecutive checkered flag wins
at the British Grand Prix and Magny-Cours; has five wins and 13
top-five finishes in 16 starts; finished fourth at Indianapolis
and fifth at Canada; struggled to eighth place at Monaco and
retired due to electrical problems at Spain, dropping him from
first to fourth in the standings; had a dazzling debut with new
team Ferrari, capturing the checkered flag in the season opener
at Australia; joined Ferrari after spending the last five years
with McLaren; finished fifth here last year.


2006 Top 10
-----------
 1. Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari
 2. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault 
 3. Jenson Button, Great Britain, BAR-Honda
 4. Michael Schumacher, Germany, Ferrari
 5. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, McLaren-Mercedes 
 6. Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Renault 
 7. Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Ferrari 
 8. Pedro de la Rosa, Spain, McLaren-Mercedes
 9. Robert Kubica, Poland, Sauber-BMW 
10. Takuma Sato, Japan, Super Aguri-Honda

Past Champions
--------------
2006  Felipe Massa, Ferrari
2005  Juan Pablo Montoya, McLaren-Mercedes
2004  Juan Pablo Montoya, Williams-BMW 
2003  Giancarlo Fisichella, Jordan Ford 
2002  Michael Schumacher, Ferrari 
2000  David Coulthard, McLaren 
2000  Michael Schumacher, Ferrari 
1999  Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes 
1998  Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes 
1997  Jacques Villeneuve, Williams-Renault 
1996  Damon Hill, Williams 
1995  Michael Schumacher, Benetton 
1994  Michael Schumacher, Benetton 
1993  Ayrton Senna, McLaren 
1992  Nigel Mansell, Williams 
1991  Ayrton Senna, McLaren 
1990  Alain Prost, Ferrari 
1989  Nigel Mansell, Ferrari 
1988  Alain Prost, McLaren 
1987  Alain Prost, McLaren 
1986  Nelson Piquet, Williams
1985  Alain Prost, McLaren 
1984  Alain Prost, McLaren

NOTE: Event moved to Interlagos from Jacarepagua after 1989
race.