Thousands of Formula One fans from all parts of the world packed Sao Paulo’s Interlagos circuit on Saturday (November 01) to watch the qualifying session ahead of Brazil’s season-ending Grand Prix.
But the red Ferrari t-shirts and caps took over the streets outside the circuit as Brazilians celebrated Felipe Massa’s pole position for the title-deciding race, while Lewis Hamilton only qualified fourth.
Massa, the first driver to take three successive poles at Interlagos, is Hamilton’s only title rival, but lags the 23-year-old McLaren man by seven points ahead of Sunday’s (November 2) season-ender.
Hamilton, who need only finish fifth to become the sport’s youngest champion even if Massa wins the race, will line up alongside Ferrari’s outgoing champion Kimi Raikkonen on the second row.
A group of good-humored Brazilian fans made a sign reading, “Hit him Rubinho (Barrichello)”, in an ironic appeal for the 36-year-old Brazilian pilot to take Hamilton out of the race and grant Massa the championship.
“If he (Rubinho Barrichello) is taken by one lap and hits (Lewis) Hamilton, everything will be alright and (Felipe) Massa will become the champion,” said one of the men holding the poster.
Many who failed to buy tickets for the qualifier, sat just outside the race track, where they could still hear the roaring engines and watch the cars on a big screen arranged by a neighbouring bar.
A roar of approval went up when the large television screen replayed images of Hamilton’s silver McLaren snapping sideways on his first lap in the decisive final session.
Raikkonen won from third place in Brazil last year to overcome a seven-point deficit and beat Hamilton to the championship.
Toyota’s Italian Jarno Trulli recovered from a midweek bout of the flu to deprive Ferrari of a front-row sweep, taking second place in his team’s best qualifying performance since the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix.
Can Hamilton create history?
Lewis Hamilton currently leads Massa by 7 points and a win at Interlagos will put Hamilton’s name on the championship while Massa finishes out of the top two.
The odds are stacked heavily against Massa, but he can still script a Ferrari fairytale at his home-race if he wins and Hamilton finishes 6th or lower. This will leave both the drivers on 97 points but the Brazilian would be the champion 6-5 on race wins.
But if this doesn’t happen, Massa can still have a chance if he finishes second and Hamilton is 8th.The two would be level on 95 points but Massa will win 3-2 on basis of second place finishes.
(With inputs from agencies)
news by APakistanNews.Com
