2012 Brazilian Grand Prix
Vettel clinches third title in a dramatic Brazilian finale.
The 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix (formally known as the Formula 1 Grande Prêmio Petrobras do Brasil 2012) was a Formula One motor race that took place at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil, on 25 November 2012. The race was the twentieth and final round of the 2012 Formula One World Championship, and marked the forty-first running of the Brazilian Grand Prix. The race was won by Jenson Button driving for McLaren, scoring the 15th and last victory of his Formula One career, as well as McLaren's last Grand Prix victory until Daniel Ricciardo's victory at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix and the last win for a British driver for McLaren until Lando Norris won the 2024 Miami Grand Prix.
- Circuit
- Autódromo José Carlos Pace (Interlagos)
- Date
- November 25, 2012
- Weather Condition
- Heavy Rain and Flooding
- Championship Decider
- Yes (Final Race of Season)
- McLaren Drivers
- Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button
- Race Winner
- Jenson Button
- Significance
- Last race for Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren car
Lore & Background
It was at this race that Sebastian Vettel won the 2012 World Drivers' Championship, his third title in a row. Fernando Alonso finished second in both the race and the championship and had the provisional championship lead at a late stage of the race, before Vettel moved up the order to have a three-point cushion. The race also marked the 306th and final one for Michael Schumacher, after he announced his retirement for the second time. He also scored his final Formula One points by finishing seventh just behind eventual champion Vettel.
In Their Own Story
The sky over São Paulo turned bruised purple, unleashing a deluge that transformed the tarmac of Interlagos into a churning river. Inside the cockpit of the silver MP4-27, Lewis Hamilton gripped the wheel, his eyes scanning through the spray that obscured everything but the red taillights ahead. The radio crackled with frantic instructions from the pit wall, voices rising over the roar of engines fighting for traction on the slick surface. Then came the impact—a sickening crunch at Turn 4 as he clipped Mark Webber's Red Bull in a desperate bid to regain position. The car spun, sliding sideways through the wet grass before rejoining the fray, but the title math was already dead in the water.
Reader's Guide
The race ended after Paul di Resta crashed on the start/finish straight shortly before the end, bringing out the safety car once again until the conclusion of the race. Vitaly Petrov of Caterham took 11th position, which meant his team overtook Marussia in the Constructors' Championship. Former world champion Kimi Räikkönen had an eventful race as well, almost crashing into Vettel after the start and later trying to use an escape road only to find it to be a dead end. He later stated the way had been open 11 years prior, having made the same manoeuver at the 2001 Brazilian Grand Prix. He also had a close contest with the retiring Schumacher, who finished seventh after recovering from an early puncture but gave up sixth to Vettel in order to help him extend his small point advantage over Alonso in the championship. This was Button's 15th Formula One victory and Vettel became the 2012 world champion.
Did You Know?
- The race marked Michael Schumacher's 306th and final Grand Prix.
- Jenson Button's victory was the 15th and last of his Formula One career.
- Sebastian Vettel won his third consecutive World Drivers' Championship at this race.
- The race featured a record 147 successful overtaking manoeuvres.
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