Fernando Alonso was in position to win the world championship at two different points during the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Brazilian Grand Prix lap chart
The positions of each driver on every lap. Use the control below to show/hide different drivers:
The lap chart reveals how rapid Sebastian Vettel's return to the front of the pack was after his collision with Bruno Senna at the start of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Having fallen to last place he gained at least two positions on each of the next seven laps, putting him sixth by lap eight. He was aided by pit stops for some drivers including Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen and Mark Webber.
With Fernando Alonso looking on course for a podium finish for much of the race, Vettel needed to get back into the points. Alonso was in position to win the championship on two different occasions during the race.
He moved into championship-winning position when he passed Webber and Felipe Massa for third on lap three. But on lap six he went off at the first corner allowing Nico Hulkenberg into third and putting Vettel back in position to claim the title.
There was a brief moment later in the race when Alonso had the title in his grasp. Lewis Hamilton's retirement moved him back up to third on lap 55, while Vettel was recovering from a slow extra pit stop due to a radio glitch.
At this moment Alonso had the combination of positions he needed to win the title, but lost it when Vettel passed Kamui Kobayashi for ninth the next time by. Although Massa later let Alonso through into second, by this time Vettel was up to seventh and the Red Bull driver eventually claimed sixth to secure the title by three points.
Brazilian Grand Prix race chart
The gaps between each driver on every lap. Use the control below to show/hide different drivers:
Marussia lost their grip on the lucrative tenth place in the constructors' championship to Caterham after Timo Glock's race was ruined by Jean-Eric Vergne.
Glock was running in the 12th place the team needed in front of both Caterhams when he was hit by Vergne following the first safety car period. It brought back memories of Glock's retirement in Korea two years ago at the hands of another Toro Rosso driver ' Sebastien Buemi ' which also cost the team (then Virgin) a strong result.
Glock's demise led to the battle for 12th place being conducted between his team mate Charles Pic ' who will join Caterham next year ' and Vitaly Petrov. With six laps to go, Petrov overtook Pic and gave Caterham the result they needed.
Inevitably this proved questions over whether Pic took a fall to benefit his future team. The pair were close on lap times at this stage but Pic's lack of KERS probably made the difference in this battle.
2012 Brazilian Grand Prix
- Schumacher finishes his F1 career as he started it
- 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix lap charts
- 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix fastest laps
- 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix tyre strategies and pit stops
- Vettel proud Red Bull not distracted by "dirty tricks"
Image © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo
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