After the mixed reaction to the brand new Korea circuit, it's good to return to well-known and much-loved familiar territory. Brazil has the atmosphere to bring the pressure down and the partying up, and even though there is still a championship at stake, I think everyone involved is happy to be heading to Interlagos. This is the first of back-to-back races to end the season, so make the most of it. This is the beginning of the end.

Event schedule

The inaugural Korean GP may not have been a perfect weekend in terms of racing and facilities, but it certainly made an impact on the championship. Red Bull did everything they could to squander away points, with neither driver making it to the end of the race distance. Webber has fallen behind Alonso in the championship table, whilst Vettel's engine blowout makes his chances at a title even more slim.

However, if anything can happen in Korea, it is likely that things will be even more stirred up in Brazil. Mathematically speaking, Alonso can take the championship here, but as with most other tracks on the calendar, it's a circuit that favours the Red Bull car.

A little further down the order, we have two drivers going into the weekend with five place grid penalties, as Adrian Sutil and Sébastien Buemi are charged with causing avoidable accidents at the last race. Force India are desperate to keep their hands on sixth place in the constructor's championship, but Williams are closing up behind them fast. Toro Rosso have had a quiet year, and it doesn't look like it's going to end any better than it began.

Finally, watch out for the drivers racing their home GP. Felipe Massa will want to wow the crowds, but may have to settle in behind his teammate for the good of the team. Bruno Senna has an enormous legacy to live up to, whilst Lucas di Grassi is still to make a name for himself. After so many races, Barrichello says coming home is no longer added pressure, but simply means relaxation and good times.

Support racing for this event includes Porsche Cup and Formula Three.

The weather

Early weather forecasts suggest that we don't have to worry about a red flag situation as we saw during the last Grand Prix. That's not to say the clouds won't have their impact on the action though. Friday looks set to be changeable, with showers on the cards. That may affect any teams bringing new parts to the car, as they will want to test them out as much as possible ahead of qualifying.

Then again, qualifying looks set to be a bit damp anyway, so perhaps any wet practice will be good. Supposedly, the precipitation will stop ahead of the race, and we will be faced with a cloudy but dry race. All of this is subject to change, though, you know what weather forecasts are like.

The circuit

Interlagos is short - the second shortest track on the calendar - but that doesn't make it easy. A lot of the drivers have it up there with their favourites, due to the challenging nature of the twists and turns. Corners are rarely high-speed, meaning grip is super important, and overtaking opportunities are high. Brake wear can be a crucial factor around this track. Watch for the first corner, in particular.

Bridgestone are heading into their final races as F1 tyre suppliers, and for this weekend, they have opted to bring the medium and super-soft compound. They particularly warn for any errant overtaking moves, as flat-spotting a tyre around this track will be easy.

For Renault, Robert Kubica is confident that their F-duct will be a help not a hindrance, particularly at the last corner as you're then thrown into a long straight across the line. Setup is tricky as the circuit is so mixed, so the more experienced drivers may have an advantage.

Circuit map

Press conference schedule

Official press conferences are organised by the FIA and happen four times during the weekend. The qualifying and post race press conferences will take place after the television unilateral interviews.

Race stewards

Four stewards oversee a Formula 1 race weekend, two FIA stewards, together with one experienced former F1 driver and a steward representing the National Sporting Authority.

Following live

A thread will be created on Sidepodcast.com for every session and every thread is live enabled, meaning you can follow along and contribute to the conversation without refreshing the page.