SAO PAULO, Oct 18 - The chequered flag comes down on the greatest Formula One
career of all on Sunday with Michael Schumacher chasing one last win and, just
possibly, an unprecedented eighth title.
The Ferrari ace, signing off with a string of records that may never be
bettered, will fire up his engines for a final showdown with Renault's Fernando
Alonso in the Brazilian season-ender.
If Schumacher wins at Interlagos and Alonso fails to score, as happened at
Monza in Italy last month, the 37-year-old German will take the title with him
into retirement.
Otherwise, his Spanish rival will retain the crown he won in Brazil last year
to become the sport's youngest champion at the age of 24.
The odds favour Alonso, with the Spaniard needing just a point while Italian
team mate Giancarlo Fisichella takes on Schumacher for the race victory, but the
last few races have been full of surprises.
"I don't think it is over at all," Alonso said this week, looking forward to
what will be his final race for Renault before switching to McLaren in 2007.
"Until the final lap, when you know you are champion, anything can still
happen and we are taking nothing for granted," he added.
"I think our aim has to be to do a normal weekend, to get the maximum from
the car without any big risks and to finish the job. If we have our usual
performance, fighting at the front, then we will achieve our targets."
SCHUMACHER HOPEFUL
Ferrari lag Renault by nine points in the constructors' standings and
Schumacher, who declared an end to his own title hopes after being sidelined by
an engine failure while leading the last race in Japan, wants to make that
championship his farewell gift to the team.
To do that, he needs to go for broke.
"We are aiming for a one-two, nothing less," the winner of a record 91 grands
prix said on the Ferrari website. "This is the only hope we have of taking the
constructors' title and it is all we can do."
"Naturally I am aware of the fact that, after almost 16 years, this is my
last race," he added. "I hope that it will be an exciting race, that way I will
take with me the marvellous feeling that only a win can bring."
Schumacher, whose team mate Felipe Massa will be racing on home territory, is
not the only one looking to go out with a victory.
Sunday's race represents the last chance for Kimi Raikkonen, whose McLaren
team are facing their first season in a decade without a victory, to win before
he joins Ferrari next season as Schumacher's replacement.
It could also be team mate Pedro de la Rosa's final appearance if McLaren opt
to partner Alonso with young Briton Lewis Hamilton next season.
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