Attacked by armed bandits outside the circuit a year ago, Jenson Button on Thursday had trouble gaining entry to Interlagos.
Express newspaper reports that even Bruno Senna, whose famous uncle Ayrton was revered by Brazilians, couldn’t penetrate the tighter security in 2011.

“We were saying ‘We’ve got the FIA press conference, will you be paying our fine?’” Button told reporters on Thursday.

Security is always a point of interest in Sao Paulo, with Germany’s Bild newspaper amused to reveal the armoured Mercedes with bulletproof tyres used this weekend by Michael Schumacher.

And Thursday’s usual autograph session was called off.

Police escorts have been made available to all the drivers, but Mark Webber told the Associated Press: “I’m still driving to the track on my own. No changes for me.”

And world champion Sebastian Vettel insisted: “This is my sixth time here and nothing has ever happened to me.”

Luiz Razia has admitted Team Lotus’ failure to score a point in 2011 is the reason he is not making his grand prix debut at home in Brazil this weekend.
Throughout 2011, it has been rumoured that Brazilian Razia, a 22-year-old team test driver, will replace either Jarno Trulli or Heikki Kovalainen for the entire Interlagos race weekend.

Instead, Razia will simply be driving in Friday morning practice.

A report by Brazil’s Globo claims it is Team Lotus’ nervousness about losing the coveted tenth place in the constructors’ standings – worth millions in the provisions of the Concorde Agreement – that thwarted Razia’s debut.

Lotus has again been the strongest of the three teams vying for the lucrative tenth place in 2011, but like HRT and Virgin the team nonetheless failed to score a single point.

“I’m not racing just because of that,” claimed Razia. “Just because of an accident or something a team can end up finishing 12th.

“The tenth place is worth millions and I can’t take that from the team. They have to make decisions and unfortunately they can’t afford to lose the tenth place.

“Tony Fernandes has spoken openly about it. I paid the price for them having not scored points. For them it’s a lot of money,” he said in Sao Paulo.

Razia, however, remains hopeful he could make his breakthrough next year.

“It’s not ruled out. Today, contracts can be easily broken,” he said.

“As we have seen, Heidfeld went out in the middle of the season, and Ferrari fired Raikkonen, so I am not discounting any possibility for 2012.”

 Luiz Razia is pushing to secure a one-off race seat with Team Lotus for his native Brazilian grand prix.
The 22-year-old Brazilian is already an occasional Friday practice and reserve driver with the Tony Fernandes-led team.

And according to Agencia Gazeta Press, he is working hard to find the money to replace either Jarno Trulli or Heikki Kovalainen for his home event at Interlagos late next month.

“For months I’ve been talking with sponsors to get the support needed to compete in this race,” said Razia, who in 2011 raced for Fernandes’ GP2 team.

Previously, the biggest hope was that he will get the green light to practice on Friday ahead of the 2011 season finale.

“For Brazil, it is much more interesting to have a driver on the grid, representing new blood,” he now insists.

“The country is in a period of great economic growth and it would be interesting for companies to have their names linked to an event of first-class technology and global exposure,” added Razia.

Rubens Barrichello in Korea sounds desperate to extend his long formula one career into a twentieth consecutive season.
Williams has not yet decided whether to keep the veteran Brazilian alongside Pastor Maldonado in 2012.

“I want to be here next year, whatever it takes for it, and wherever,” the 39-year-old is quoted by the German news agency SID.

“I am talking to the entire paddock.”

He clarified, however, that he is actually seeking only “a competitive car”, hinting that his preferences are Williams or Renault.

“I hope to know from Williams before Brazil,” Barrichello is quoted by Brazil’s Globo Esporte. “The fans need to know as well.

“Williams have said they would like to make a decision before Interlagos and I hope that’s a positive sign,” he added.

As for his other options, the former Ferrari and Honda driver added: “I think there are still two or three opportunities that are very good.

“I will not drive in formula one for anything, just to say ‘I have completed 20 years here, even without a competitive car’. That is not the point.

“The teams that I am talking to have the conditions for a good car.

“If my fate is that I am not involved any more with F1, 19 years would be wonderful and I will see if Disney wants me to drive the cars at Disney world,” Barrichello joked.

 Sebastien Buemi must up his game if he wants to practice on Friday morning ahead of next month’s 2011 season finale in Brazil.
Toro Rosso has told the Swiss, and his teammate Jaime Alguersuari, that whoever has the least amount of points after the penultimate race in Abu Dhabi will give up his car at Interlagos to French hopeful Jean-Eric Vergne.

Vergne, the latest cream of Red Bull’s young driver programme, will kick off his new Friday morning duties this weekend in Korea at the wheel of Alguersuari’s STR6.

“Jaime sits out the session because the last time a driver was replaced on Friday morning, it was Sebastien Buemi who gave up his seat to Daniel Ricciardo,” the Faenza based team said in a statement.

Vergne will sit out India because it’s a new circuit, and will return on Friday morning in Abu Dhabi “replacing Buemi”, the Red Bull junior team added.

And for Brazil, “whichever of the Toro Rosso drivers has the least points will give up his seat to Vergne for FP1″.

Currently, three races before Brazil, Buemi trails Spaniard Alguersuari by three points.

And also looming in the background is Red Bull’s other young hopeful Daniel Ricciardo.

“In the next couple of years not only the loss of practice laps is threatened, but also the complete loss of their seats,” noted Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

Robert Kubica has answered “we’ll see” amid expectations he might be fit enough to return to formula one in the coming months. It emerged this week that the injured Renault driver’s recovery from his horror February rally crash will speed up after another elbow operation this month. There have been varying reports that estimated a return to the grid could take place as soon as November’s Interlagos finale, while Italy’s Autosprint said it is “unlikely” the 26-year-old will be ready for the start of next season. “I always enjoy setting a goal, when circumstances allow,” the Pole is quoted as saying. “We’ll see how my rehabilitation goes over the next few months. “I’m satisfied with what’s been happening until now, there are no complications. There is no hurry. What is important is that Renault is keeping my place.” Renault doctor Riccardo Ceccarelli is quoted by the Sapa-AFP news agency as saying the forthcoming surgery is to improve the mobility of Kubica’s right elbow. “With his elbow blocked, we haven’t had the chance to work on a full recovery programme as we would do normally,” he said.

Eric Boullier has scotched reports Renault has definitely decided to conclude the 2011 season with Nick Heidfeld alongside Vitaly Petrov.
German Heidfeld was drafted in to substitute for team regular Robert Kubica, who is recovering from serious injuries sustained in a February rally crash.

But it has been rumoured that relations between Enstone based Renault and Kubica’s management is not all rosy, particularly after team figures and manager Daniele Morelli recently disagreed about the progress of the Pole’s recovery.

German website motorsport-total.com quotes team boss Boullier as revealing at Silverstone that Kubica is “full of energy” after his latest surgery.

“I’ve spoken with Daniele and (Dr) Ricardo (Ceccarelli),” added the Frenchman. “It is more positive than expected.”

Asked about Morelli’s recent claim that Kubica might be fit to return at Interlagos in late November, he answered: “I hope that’s true, but I’m not a clairvoyant.”

Boullier did however scotch the suggestion that Renault will definitely race with Heidfeld alongside Petrov for the rest of the current season.

“We have a very clear agreement — when Robert is fit enough to return, he will return at that point.”

December 4 has been ruled out as a potential date for a rescheduled 2011 season finale.
Bernie Ecclestone admitted last weekend that the inaugural Indian grand prix could be moved from October to December to make room for Bahrain to be slotted back into the calendar.

“Yes, we are having a look at it. Everything’s possible,” he said in Spain.

But according to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, December 4 for India has been deemed “impossible” from a logistical point of view.

That date is just days after Brazil’s Interlagos race, and according to the teams “it is logistically impossible to fly the F1 cargo within days from Sao Paulo to Delhi”.

December 11 is the next available Sunday, but that is a full two weeks after the currently scheduled finale in late November. In 2009 and 2010, the calendar concluded in early and mid-November.

According to Ross Brawn, the trend for ever-longer F1 calendars risks alienating the sport’s hard-working staff.

“We won’t keep the people,” he is quoted by the Telegraph. “They will get fed up. Their families will get fed up and it will all prove to be too much.

“We have to think about it very carefully because we are reaching a limit on what we can subject our people to,” added Brawn.

There is a chance the 2011 calendar could be tweaked to reinstate Abu Dhabi as the scene of next year’s championship finale.

The magnificent Yas Marina venue has concluded the F1 schedule for the past two seasons, but its third event is scheduled for 13 November 2011 — two weeks before the finale in Brazil.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said he has “never understood” why organisers want to host the last race but did not rule out making the switch to please Abu Dhabi.

“It is a big risk being the last race of the championship, because you just don’t know how it will unfold — it could have all happened in Brazil,” said the Briton, referring to last week’s penultimate race at Interlagos.

When asked whether Abu Dhabi could be reinstated as the last race for 2011, Ecclestone answered: “We’ll see. It’s not scheduled to be, but whether we can change it or not … let’s have a look and see.”

After rain affected the last three grand prix weekends, it is almost certain that the F1 world can expect a dry finale in Abu Dhabi.

Indeed, it almost never rains in the United Arab Emirate capital, where outside the cosmopolitan city lies endless miles of sandy desert.

Media reports say it hasn’t rained in Abu Dhabi for more than 120 days running, but – interestingly – a light shower is forecast for when the F1 fraternity congregates at Yas Marina on Thursday.

Beyond that, a dry and sunny weekend in the 20s is expected.

The F1 cars arrive in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, after a mad rush on Sunday to pack up the equipment in Brazil amid perhaps the tightest turnaround between races in the sport’s history.

At Interlagos on Sunday, Red Bull team members celebrated their constructors’ title win with loud music while they packed up just minutes after the chequered flag.

“We divided the team into three shifts to get everything done on time,” confirmed McLaren’s chief operating officer Simon Roberts.

Adrian Newey has revealed he has no immediate plans to step down as the designer of Red Bull’s F1 cars.

Already with titles in the bag from his Williams and McLaren days, the highly respected British engineer last Sunday celebrated another win as his RB6 secured the 2010 constructors’ crown.

And he told reporters at Interlagos that he’s going nowhere for now.

“I’ll be at Red Bull for a while to come,” said Red Bull Racing’s highest paid employee.

“Red Bull are a great company and they’re interested in many different areas.

“Maybe in the future we can do something different, but in the near future it’s formula one still,” added the 51-year-old aerodynamicist.

Jenson Button might have been the victim of an attempted kidnapping in Sao Paulo on Saturday night, according to Sir Jackie Stewart.

The F1 paddock was in shock on Sunday after it emerged the reigning world champion’s car had been approached by up to six men with guns whilst returning from Interlagos to his Morumbi hotel.

The specially-trained police driver fended off the attack by smashing through traffic, with triple world champion Stewart worrying that wallets and watches might not have been the target.

“Drug barons don’t go out to kill people but kidnap them because they are linked to rich multinational companies.  In Jenson’s case that means Vodafone and Mobil,” the Scot said.

50 years ago, Cuban rebels kidnapped the then reigning world champion Juan Manuel Fangio at gunpoint and held him for 24 hours.

Button’s father John, who was in the car with his son at the time of the attack, admitted he fears it was not random.

Rumours on Sunday suggested the attackers were alerted a few minutes before the attack that Button’s entourage had left the circuit.

“It was really weird,” said John Button, “because we were in a very small, compact Mercedes, and they couldn’t see in.

“It looked like they were waiting for someone, so that’s a little bit worrying.”

Button’s attack was not the only security issue at Interlagos this year.  A group of photographers had their cameras stolen, a radio producer was relieved of his wallet and car keys, and even the local Lucas di Grassi admitted to being mugged.

“A guy walked up to the car, tapped a gun in his belt and I handed over the watch,” said the Virgin driver.

One certainty is that Button was relieved to leave Brazil on Sunday night.

“I don’t think that’s the way to put it,” he said before the race.  “It’s an epic circuit and it holds a lot of good memories.  But I’ll be on my way home tonight.”

Nico Hulkenberg gave his chances of retaining his race seat at Williams in 2011 a huge boost at slippery Interlagos on Saturday.

Not only did the German rookie sensationally capture his first pole position, two of his laps in Q3 were good enough for the top spot — with the final margin over the two Red Bulls incredibly more than a full second.

“Nico was better than all of us today,” said fellow front row sitter Sebastian Vettel, and Mark Webber agreed that Hulkenberg’s performance “made the rest of us look average”.

One explanation for the 23-year-old’s pace could be his engineer’s early decision to change from intermediate to slick tyres, but his teammate Rubens Barrichello made the call first and qualified just sixth.

And all the other leading contenders were all also using dry tyres at the end.

“He put the hammer down and did the job fantastically,” said team co-owner Patrick Head on BBC television, adding that Williams’ first pole since 2005 will give team “fresh impetus” to further improve.

And with pay-driver Pastor Maldonado knocking on the door for 2011, Hulkenberg told reporters after qualifying that he is now “confident we’ll have a positive end to that story”.

Juan Pablo Montoya secured Williams’ last grand prix win at Interlagos in 2004.

Championship leader Fernando Alonso qualified fifth, behind Hulkenberg, the two Red Bulls and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.

Mathematically, the Ferrari driver could secure his third championship on Sunday but the Spaniard insisted that is “not really on my mind”.

“You can get some strange results, but we are concentrating on increasing the gap and if we give away points, making sure it is not too many,” he said.

Adrian Sutil on Thursday confirmed reports he looks set to stay another season with Force India in 2011.

The German had flirted with moves to Renault or Williams but admitted at Interlagos that he is now leaning towards signing a new deal with his long-time employer.

“The tendency is to (stay at) Force India,” Sutil is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

“We are currently in close talks. I am definitely ready to stay here for another year. The trend is with this team, but it’s not signed yet,” he added.

Sutil said it will take at least another two weeks before the deal is sealed.

“The final decision won’t be made until after the season unfortunately,” he revealed. “I would have wanted it sooner, but it didn’t happen.”

The news is a blow for Nick Heidfeld, who had hoped to move to Force India. The Silverstone based team already has a contract for 2011 with Vitantonio Liuzzi.

“If Sutil is staying there, probably I have no chance with Force India,” confirmed Heidfeld, who is being replaced at Sauber by the Telmex-backed rookie Sergio Perez.

There might be a vacancy at Renault, but the Enstone based team is thought likely to re-sign its well-funded Vitaly Petrov.

Meanwhile, Nico Hulkenberg’s place at Williams is under threat by the Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, who is backed by state petroleum company PDVSA.

Sir Frank Williams last week spoke highly of Hulkenberg, but the young German pointed out that “with praise I can buy nothing”.

“Williams have told me that there is still a chance (of staying in 2011),” added Hulkenberg.

He is disappointed at the thought of being ousted by his GP2 teammate of 2009.

“In qualifying, I beat him I think 10-0,” noted Hulkenberg.

Today’s FIA press conference at the Interlagos circuit was an all-Brazilian affair, with the two “new boys,” Lucas di Grassi and Bruno Senna, joined by their senior colleagues, Rubens Barrichello and Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro’s Felipe Massa. Indeed, it was an all Paulista affair as the four are from the city of Sao Paolo.

Asked to look back at this season, Felipe singled out his qualifying performance as the worst feature of 2010. “This year’s results have not matched my expectations, especially in qualifying where I struggled to put together a good first lap on fresh tyres,” he said. “It’s true there have also been some races where I failed to finish in the points and then there was Singapore, where a qualifying problem meant I had to start from the back.”

As to this weekend’s home race, Felipe shared his fellow panelists’ enthusiasm for the Interlagos circuit. “I have great memories from here with two wins and poles in 2006, ’07 and ’08, which was the last time I raced here. Then going even further back, at the start of my career, I won here twice in Formula Chevrolet. This track has many interesting challenges and you can be creative with the set-up, while many sections of the track require a very technical approach. It might be a short lap, not like most of the new tracks, but this circuit is very well thought out and there is always overtaking here and some nice fights. But it is really the Brazilian people who make Interlagos special – they are so hot with emotion and they sing all day long in the grandstands, which is great for us Brazilian drivers, giving us some extra power.”

Mathematically, Fernando Alonso has a chance of winning the Drivers’ title on Sunday and Felipe was asked if he felt it might happen. “Well, Fernando is leading right now, so for sure I think he can do it here, but as we have seen this season, everything is possible. My personal aim is to try and win the race and of course I can help Fernando by taking points away from his rivals.”

This week sees the premiere of a film made about the life of Ayrton Senna and all four drivers were asked for their memories of the great Brazilian champion, who died during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. “Ayrton was really amazing and I remember so many of his races,” said Felipe. “But what really stands out in my mind was his ability in qualifying, not only taking pole in so many races, but often doing so with a big gap over the rest. For me, that was his strongest point.”