Sebastian Vettel is poised to make history by becoming Formula One’s youngest ever triple champion, although he needs the fickle Brazilian weather and title rival Fernando Alonso to respect the script.
The 25-year-old Red Bull driver goes into the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos on Sunday (Monday 0300AEDT) with a healthy 13-point lead over Ferrari’s double champion Alonso.
Vettel enters his 101st race buoyed by a fine run of recent form including four straight wins before finishing third in Abu Dhabi, after starting in the pit lane, and then second in Austin, Texas.
All the German has to do now is finish in the top four to take his third successive world title.
“It is sport and anything can happen,” said Vettel, who won at the Sau Paulo track in 2010.
Alonso, in contrast, has yet to taste victory at Interlagos in nine previous visits, finishing second on two occasions.
Vettel added: “We have to go step by step, to make sure we get the maximum result. Historically we have been very quick here. We know it is a place where lots of things can happen.”
Vettel struck the first blow in Saturday’s qualifying when he secured fourth place on the grid with Alonso down in eighth before the Spaniard was bumped up a spot when Williams driver Pastor Maldonado was handed a 10-place penalty.
Asked if the championship situation had affected his performance, Vettel replied: “Not too much. I’ve just come out of qualifying knowing I could have done a little bit better.”
“Obviously (teammate) Mark (Webber, who placed third) was a bit quicker, but I think we are in good shape and we’ve been competitive all weekend.”
Alonso admitted he needs a “crazy race” if he is to beat the odds.
“We need some strange circumstances, we need a chaotic race in a way, rain or something, let’s hope we see something like that,” he said.
Lewis Hamilton will start his 110th and final race for McLaren from pole position with Jenson Button completing their fourth front row lockout of the season.
In his final qualifying session for McLaren before leaving to join Mercedes next year, 27-year-old Hamilton clocked a fastest lap of one minute and 12.458 seconds to outpace fellow-Briton Button by one-tenth of a second.
“What a great feeling it is. What a great weekend so far and I hope we can push on Sunday. It is great to be one-two with Jenson Button. I am expecting a difficult race,” said Hamilton.
Sunday will also be an emotional day for seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher who will head into retirement having qualified in 14th place.
The 43-year-old German is not going quietly, however, claiming his Mercedes team compromised his car set-up too much in qualifying in the hope that it rains on Sunday.
“Of course, coming from where I am does not make it easy, but I will definitely try to fight my way up the field.”
