Bergbau » hrough. Vettels third consecutive title was then finally confir

While Lewis Hamiltons is that Glock? title win of Brazil 2008 will perhaps be considered the single most dramatic moment in the history of F1 world championship deciders, should Brazil 2012 be considered a better title-settling race? Interlagos, November 25, 2012, was the day of Sebastian Vettels spin and champion recovery, Fernando Alonsos thousand-yard stare, and, in the hours after the chequered flag had fallen, the post-race yellow flag controversy.And that was just the title battle on a day of rich subplots. Beyond the Vettel-Alonso showdown, Brazil 2012 featured Michael Schumachers final grand prix, McLarens last win, and Hamiltons swansong for his boyhood team before his career-defining switch to Mercedes. The 2012 season finale served up F1s ultimate race within a race - and both were nailbiters. Writing in his post-race column, Sky F1s Martin Brundle declared: The first 20 laps of the race were the most exciting I have ever had the privilege to commentate on.So what made Brazil 2012 so special?The lead-up to BrazilWhile Vettel and Alonso emerged as the seasons chief protagonists, their tense duel took its time to take shape.A record seven different winners in the opening seven races (Jenson Button, Alonso, Nico Rosberg, Vettel, Pastor Maldonado, Mark Webber, Hamilton) was remarkable at the time and all the more astounding in retrospect considering just nine drivers have shared the subsequent 89 grands prix.F1 2012: Race-by-race rundownVettel only won once in the opening 13 races and with Alonso, despite a clear car disadvantage, brilliantly wrestling his Ferrari to three wins to hold a 42-point advantage over his Red Bull rival by mid-season. But the Vettel charge began once F1 left Europe as the German reeled off four successive wins to take a 13-point lead with three rounds to go.However, the difference still stood at 13 points two races later with Vettels winning momentum first checked by a disqualification from Abu Dhabi qualifying for a fuel infringement and then defeat to Hamilton at the inaugural US GP in Austin.Onto Brazil...and how Vettel nearly lost on lap oneWith a quicker car and a 13-point lead already in his favour, Vettels title odds shortened at the Interlagos finale when he qualified fourth and Alonso eighth. The German only needed to finish in his grid position even if the Ferrari driver won.Yet the impossible turnaround suddenly seemed eminently possible on the races first lap. With rain beginning to fall, Vettel was facing the wrong way by Turn Four - and with a big hole in the side of his Red Bull. Vettel sees himself going backwards and at the back of the grid after the first lap of the 2012 Brazilian GP A bad start - which Vettel would blame on team-mate Mark Webber, sowing the seeds for the Multi-21 controversy of the following Spring - had already dropped the German behind Alonso and into seventh before double contact with the Williams of Bruno Senna at the end of the long backstraight left him facing the oncoming pack.As the field streamed past his stricken Red Bull, Vettel was lucky not to suffer race-ending damage. But when he eventually got going, he did so from 22nd and last. Alonso, meanwhile, had moved into a championship-winning third place within two laps.Vettel comes back from the brinkTo be perfectly honest after the first lap I thought its probably all over, admitted Red Bulls Adrian Newey after the race. I was pretty surprised to see the car going.But Vettel did keep going, allowing Red Bull engineers to take pictures of the RB8 from pitwall so Newey could assess the damage. We photographed the car going past and saw all the bodywork damage and, more worryingly almost, a huge crease in the exhaust system. Normally [with] that sort of damage the exhaust is going to crack and the bodywork will catch fire and that will be the end of that.A change of engine mapping settings, and the fact the rain worsened, played to Vettels advantage. By lap eight, he was to sixth. Alonso was now only two now places ahead, meaning the title was back in the Red Bull drivers grasp.Hamilton v Button…and HulkenbergAmid the drama of the title race behind, an absorbing battle for the win simultaneously broke out at the front.In their final race as McLaren team-mates, Hamilton and Button raced away into the lead from the front row and changed places three times within the races opening eight laps.The wheel-to-wheel action between Button and Hamilton was thrilling, masterful, respectful, risky, and mesmerising, wrote Brundle. And all watched by Nico Hulkenberg who then impressively made his way to the front of the race. Hulkenberg slides into Hamilton while he was leading the 2012 Brazilian GP ending the McLaren driver’s race Nico Hulkenberg, revelling in the mixed conditions, began pushing the McLarens and, after race leader Button pitted, the German overtook Hamilton for the lead on lap 18. He didnt relinquish it for 30 laps before Hamilton claimed it back.Yet what had been a hitherto display of supreme error-free driving was ended when Hulkenberg plunged down the inside of Hamiltons McLaren at Turn One as the McLaren encountered a backmarker, only to drop it on a damp patch and spin into the Briton. Hamiltons dream of a winning exit from Woking was scuppered, with Hulkenberg slipping to sixth.A grateful Button picked up the pieces. Raikkonen found himself going down a dead end as he tries to return to the race track during the 2012 Brazilian GP A passing of the batonAfter recovering from the biggest of lap-one scares, Vettel was rarely out of a championship-winning position thereafter but his worsening car damage, and the lingering on-off rain, meant the title was never safe until the closing laps. A broken radio also contributed to a late scare when mechanics werent ready for a pit stop.Brazilian GP 2012 resultsWith Alonso running second following the reitrements of Hamilton and Hulkenberg, Vettel needed to finish eighth to be sure of the crown. With ten laps to go he was in seventh, but then rose to the security of sixth when Schumacher, featuring in the final GP of his second career, chose not to put up a fight and let the Red Bull through. Vettels third consecutive title was then finally confirmed when Paul di Resta crashed on the start-finish straight on the penultimate lap to ensure the season finished under the Safety Car.After a breatheless afternoon, Vettel was world champion from Alonso by three points. Cue one of the longest stares in F1 history... The post-race controversyBut the story of Brazil 2012 wasnt finished quite yet and it briefly seemed as if there could be a dramatic final twist in the tale. Footage emerged on the internet which apparently showed Vettel had illegally passed the Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne under a yellow flag on lap four.Such was the commotion on social media that Ferrari wrote to the FIA seeking clarification, but analysis of official footage showed Vettel had passed a marshal waving a green flag before legitimately making the move on Vergne.The FIA replied to Ferrari stating that as the overtaking manoeuvre was not in breach of the regulations, and therefore there was no infringement to investigate, it was not reported to the Stewards by Race Control.The epic story of the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix was finally complete. Can Nico Rosberg clinch the title at Interlagos? Watch the Brazilian GP live on Sky Sports F1 on Sunday, the race begins at 4pm; Watch the whole race weekend with a NOW TV week pass - £10.99, no contract Also See: How Rosberg wins title in Brazil When is the Brazilian GP on Sky? The Formula 1 Gossip Column Get a NOW TV week pass Football Jerseys Sale . Neymar curled home a free kick from just outside the area to put the 2014 World Cup host ahead in the 44th minute. Three minutes after the break, a simple through pass from Paulinho freed Oscar and the Chelsea star rounded goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong to extend Brazils lead. Discount Football Jerseys . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. http://www.cheapfootballjerseys.us.org/ . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. Wholesale Authentic Jerseys .Y. -- Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Wednesday that J. Wholesale Football Jerseys Online Louis van Gaal was unhappy with a stupid booking leading to Juan Matas red card in Manchester Uniteds 1-0 loss at West Brom. The Spaniard was sent off for the first time in his career for picking up two quick yellow cards, the first for preventing a quick free-kick and the second for tripping Darren Fletcher.Salomon Rondon then scored for the Baggies after the break to end Uniteds winning run and dent their top-four hopes. Asked about the red card awarded to Mata, Van Gaal told Sky Sports: The first was a stupid yellow card, you know it is a yellow card in advance. The second you know you already have one so you have to take that into account. Mike Dean sends Manchester Uniteds Juan Mata off You damage the team, but the referee has to know the person who makes the tackle and Mata never hurts an opponent.The referee has to know the character of the players and that is why an experienced referee is better because he knows the players and the game.The defeat sees United remain three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City having also played a game more.Its a big blow, these kinds of matches you have to win, said Van Gaal. We have played 60 minutes with 10 men against 11 and this is the fifth match in 14 days. Patrick Davison is joined by Gareth McAuley to discuss West Broms 1-0 victory over Manchester United It is very difficult to play against 11 and thats the reason we lost.dddddddddddd We didnt give many chances away, only the goal really, its a big pity that we had to play with 10.With nine games left to play, Van Gaal now believes United need maximum points to finish in the top four.He added: We need 27 points, its a lot but it is always possible. Also See: West Brom 1-0 Man Utd Can Man Utd make top four? Henry on Utds top-four bid LISTEN: Super Sunday podcast ' ' '