Williams and Ferrari have so far won one race each, in what looks set to be an exciting fight for supremacy. The Brazilian Grand Prix will probably break that tie, unless McLaren join the fray. Atlas F1's technical writer Craig Scarborough serves the most comprehensive and complete Grand Prix Preview - including a look at the circuit layout, the demands from the drivers and the teams, and a full analysis of all participants in the upcoming event

The F1 circus now leaves the Pacific Rim until the end of the season and heads for South America for the third round of the 2002 World Championship.

While Malaysia may be a long way from Sao Paulo, the two venues share some characteristics, which will point toward the potential form of the teams in the coming weekend. Interlagos's layout and climate bear a strong resemblance to Sepang - both are fast tracks with technical sections and with a surface that is hard on tyres.

Moreover, with a hot tropical climate and a strong chance of rain most days, once again the teams will keep meteorological units on guard and threaten to play havoc with the team's track time and their set ups should the storms clean the rubber off the track. There is also the drizzly rain known locally as 'Garoa' to add to the stormy downpours.

The Interlagos circuit also brings a few other problems for the teams: the circuit layout is one of only two circuits on the calendar to run anti-clockwise, forcing the drivers to build up the muscles on the other side of their neck and the team to switch fuel fillers to the other side of the car. The poor local facilities often see power cuts and a few years ago even hoardings fell on to the track. Local crime - while not directly affecting the racing - does affect the teams, with personnel being robbed at knifepoint and equipment being stolen from the paddock.

The Circuit Layout

The circuit is popular with drivers and spectators alike. The track is set on a hill and undulates up and down, with the start\finish straight plunging down into the 90 degree curva 1 and then into the Senna "S". A long straight follows before a technically challenging mid sector, which opens up to a neck-straining curve climbing back up past the pits to complete the lap.

The layout of the track allows for overtaking - mostly on the braking are into curva 1, and most manoeuvres start long before the straight, with the following car needing to complete the middle sector close behind the leading car in order to get a slipstream along the long curving straight. The move needs to be decisive as it is easy to either clash or understeer off onto the outside of the track. However, pressuring other cars into this corner can lose the leading car speed into the Senna "S", allowing for another manoeuvre or a good "tow" up the following straight.

It is this tight first corner sequence that could bring the third startline shunt of the year, with Ferraris' reluctance to pull away cleanly and Williams's incredible thrust off the line. Further down the field, bunching around the tight corners could lead to more problems.

Overall the track will suit the cars with good straight-line speed and reliable chassis to withstand the heat and bumps. As Mika Salo summarises: "From a driver's perspective, Interlagos means one thing: bumps. All around the lap ripples in the tarmac unsettle the car, which are made even more treacherous if it's wet. It's a pity, because the actual layout of the track is quite nice, with a good mix of fast and slow corners and undulations. You can find a good rhythm. It's also a racer's track because there is an excellent overtaking place at the end of the pit straight. The track is wide and you have just been sitting in someone's slipstream for the previous 10 seconds... trust me, it's easy!"

Lap of Interlagos with Jenson Button

"I approach the first corner travelling at my maximum speed of 310kmh in top gear and the entry is very difficult. It is a little bumpy in the braking area and the line of sight into the first corner is quite difficult as the circuit drops away off-camber. The first corner itself is taken in second gear at 105kmh.

"Accelerating into the right-hand turn two, not braking for it but having to be very careful with the throttle, I will apex the right-hand part at 150kmh in third. From there a long left-hander leads to the back straight, which is pretty well flat-out.

"I exit the corner at around 240kmh and shift from fourth to fifth. At the end of the straight I will be travelling at slightly lower than my fastest speed, around 305kmh in top gear, before braking hard for the left-hand corner, which I take at 135kmh in third. This corner is very long and I am basically flat-out for the second part of it, exiting at around 240kmh in fourth gear, but with quite high lateral loading.

"On the short straight that leads to the next corner, I will peak at around 280kmh in fifth before dropping to 190kmh for the next, fourth-gear corner. Again this is a long corner and I have to be very careful on the throttle here to balance the car. Entering the tight right-hand corner is quite difficult because I have to brake still with some lateral force on the car and drop the car right down to 65kmh in first gear.

"This is followed by a left-hand corner, and I will quickly grab second gear at around 125kmh before entering this corner. Again I use the brakes lightly to stabilise the car and bring the speed down to around 95kmh. On the very short straight before the next corner I should just hit fourth gear on a good lap, at around 210kmh, before again dropping down to first gear and around 70kmh for the right-hander.

"This is then followed by a long left-hand corner, taken almost flat-out, and I will be exiting it at around 270kmh in fourth gear before entering the very important final corner. I have to drop down to 110kmh in second gear for this but this corner is critical as it leads onto a long straight, which, although it starts with a curve, is actually taken flat out. I cross the finishing line at around 305kmh in top gear to finish the lap."

Set up

With the circuit at well above sea level and with the up and down nature of the fast straights and curves, Interlagos is another power circuit, but to maximise the chance to overtake on the main straight, traction and braking performance are just as crucial. Downforce is still high but not to the same extent as the previous circuits. Renault's Mike Gascoyne specifies: "Engine power and aerodynamic forces will be down by about 7 to 8 percent."

The circuit is also bumpy, which affects reliability and the chassis set up. The teams will run the cars higher here than at most other circuits, but the cars will still leave brown marks from their planks, as they bottom out under load past the pit entrance.

Set up will, as usual, alter between qualifying and the race. "In qualifying you need a lot of downforce so you are quick on the infield, but of course for the race high top speed on the straights helps you to overtake, so you use less downforce," Sauber's Willi Rampf explains. But at Interlagos this difference is greater than at other circuits.

Strategy will again be a major factor in the race. The threat of rain, the difference in the tyres and grid position will all be added to the equation for the teams and as in Malaysia, the race will not reveal the best strategy until after the last set of pitstops. The gamble will be between one or two stops; there is a long pit entry to deter multiple stops but with overtaking a possibility, the choice again becomes less clear.

Tyres

Brazil's hot and rough track surface is tough on tyres and as important is the heavy load the tyres are subjected to on the long curve onto the start-finish straight. This added side loading generates heat within the tyre, when added to the elevated ambient temperatures tyres must be durable, with low degradation to last.

The problem of tyre wear in the race and the worn out grooves displayed on Michelins, has again angered Bridgestone who have asked FIA once more for a clarification on the issue. Bridgestone tyres lose the performance well before the grooves are worn out, leaving the drivers needing more frequent pitstops; Michelins are the opposite and perform best in the heat.

As Bridgestone rush to develop a hot weather tyre for Brazil, four of Bridgestone's teams were in Barcelona running tyre programmes. Barcelona is understood to have a similar surface if not climate to Brazil, increasing the test's importance. The test produced two new dry weather tyres for the race.

However, unless new constructions and compounds brought by Bridgestone to Brazil perform on a par with the French rubber, or the temperatures are unusually low or wet, then Michelin are expected to have the upper hand.

Moreover, Michelin have two new types of tyre, both in terms of construction and compound, again selected by the supplier's contracted teams from a large range of tyres brought to Barcelona.

Michelin is concerned by their wet weather performance and artificially dampened the Catalunya track to test six new wet tyres. Wet sessions are usually a quiet time over a Grand Prix weekend, as teams do not gain much data from running on a wet track. However, a wet session in Brazil could see all the Michelin teams on track in an effort to select the best wet weather tyre.

Team by Team

Williams

After a strategic victory over Ferrari in Malaysia and an equally good showing here last year, in the words of Ralf Schumacher the team are "pretty confident about racing in Brazil." They have the best straight-line speed, Michelin tyres that will cope with the heat, and good reliability.

Testing in Barcelona provided not only good tyre data but also developments to the BMW engine and its electronics. The team have been thoughtful to thoroughly test their brakes during testing, a recent weak spot for the team and a massively important factor for Interlagos.

Qualifying may not bring a pole position, but both drivers are capable of winning here and another one-two is a distinct possibility. To do this the drivers need to understand that the race cannot be won off the line - both Grands Prix this year have involved a Williams car in an accident, and while Frank or Patrick are not the type of team managers to lecture their drivers, they just might feel the need to do so before Sunday's race.

Ferrari

After exhaustive testing in Barcelona with old and new chassis and both the race and test drivers present, the team have decided on a compromise regarding which cars to bring to Brazil.

Testing concluded the new car was faster and as reliable as the F2001. There were gearbox failures reported, but Jean Todt said that after testing and "a positive report from the Technical and Engine Directors" the team feel now is the time to bring the sole F2002 to a race.

Michael Schumacher will have the car as his racecar with a F2001 as a T-Car. Rubens Barrichello, who only tested the F2002 for the first time last week, will have to use the older F2001. Hedging their bets on chassis may allow Rubens the chance to outperform his teammate should problems reoccur with the new car. Furthermore, should Michael Schumacher have to resort to the T-car late in the weekend he will have to use Rubens's set up data, which may hinder his subsequent pace.

Both cars have the pace of the majority of the field except Williams. The more powerful F2002 engine and new Bridgestone tyres should bring an advantage in qualifying and perhaps the race. Should the conditions turn wet, the odds stack more highly in favour of Ferrari.

McLaren

The team have been hard at work in the UK and Germany understanding the failures that dogged their Malaysian weekend, while test driver Alex Wurz completed tyre testing in Barcelona using an interim car.

The car struggled to handle on the Sepang circuit and may also suffer in Brazil, but engine reliability throughout the weekend is what is required to establish the car's set up for the race.

David Coulthard's comments in the press suggest he is demotivated about his chances to win the World Championship, however this is far too early in the season to believe this; McLaren have the technical depth to develop the car into a race winning proposition, and the first races have not been a good indication of form.

Kimi Raikkonen, on the other hand, seems to be enjoying the performance of the McLaren but needs to maintain the pressure throughout the race, in order to keep up with the other top driver.

Renault

The UK-based part of the outfit have worked to understand the problems that afflicted the drivers in the last race and feel comfortable that the cure has been found. Testing has provided some small developments on the electronics and aerodynamics, but the test was worryingly plagued by reliability problems.

Going on their pace from Malaysia, Renault should be the fourth team after the big three, but their lack of speed on the straights will seriously compromise the drivers in the race. A good qualifying session followed by a run by at least one car in the points is forecasted for the team. Either driver can achieve a good result in qualifying and the race, as they have proved evenly matched so far this year.

Sauber

Malaysia proved Sauber could run ahead of the midfield and were only bettered by Renault. The car's reliability and the drivers' pace bode well for points in Sao Paulo, but it might be the team's Bridgestone tyres will decide if they can race with the Renault drivers. Felipe Massa will enjoy his home Grand Prix, which should encourage him to pressure Nick Heidfeld even more.

Jordan

Exhaustive testing has followed the last race for Jordan, everything seemed to be on the job sheet for the team: tyres aero, electronics, gearbox, hydraulics and set up. The team are determined to step up their performance in 2002, the new car seems to offer potential, new car reliability problems have been worsened by the vibration from the new wide angle Honda engine, even vibration tests were carried out in Barcelona.

If the team can get a good set up early in the weekend and run reliably a good result should be possible, the Honda engines lack of pace may hinder the drivers on the straights, but as usual the Jordans are quite slippery to compensate. Giancarlo Fisichella has produced good mature drives while the young Takuma Sato is getting a reputation for overdriving and going off the road.

BAR

BAR are now one of several teams in disarray, both internally and with the car. The chassis is clearly not working well or reliably and the cull in the technical office will affect the team's weekend, as departed designer Malcolm Oastler was ever present in the garage. Morale will be lowered and senior personnel will be facing an inquisitive media, distracting them from their roles.

On paper, the Interlagos circuit doesn't suit the BAR - a lack of aero efficiency and engine power should drop the team to the back of the midfield. Testing has produced a cure for the clutch problem Olivier Panis suffered on race day in Malaysia. Jacques Villeneuve's motivation will be in doubt over the weekend and Olivier Panis should keep up his consistent form.

Jaguar

Jaguar have been open about their chassis problems and the team appear to be working well internally again. Niki Lauda has called an end to the speculation about which chassis will run for the rest of the season as a result of a back to back test described by Jaguar as "a clinical and methodical programme."

Subsequent data analysis led to a late decision to run the new car. "The performance differential between the two is just not big enough to go on with last year's car," Lauda said. While the decision will funnel the team's resources into the new car, including the new UK based windtunnel going live this week, the fruit of this labour will not be seen in Brazil.

As a result, the team face another tough weekend getting the car balanced while being on the pace. It is important for the team to qualify well to capitalise on their excellent race pace on the Michelin tyres. Poor qualifying may well result in drastic driving measures and retirements as the result of accidents.

Arrows

Arrows are one of the few teams not to run between races - the inability for the car to return to Europe for testing has hampered the team. As a result, the team will spend a lot of the race weekend completing basic set up work and lose time in really getting pace out of the package.

Despite three failures to leave the start line cleanly, the car has shown good pace in race format, and this pattern should continue in Brazil. Thereafter, the cars return to Europe for the Imola race and will allow the team to develop the chassis.

Both drivers enjoy racing at Interlagos - it's Enrique Bernoldi's home Grand Prix, and Heinz-Harald Frentzen seems to be enjoying the pressure-free environment at Arrows.

Minardi

Minardi are the only other team not to test between races, as the new engine doesn't fit in the old car.

The cars have run well so far this year but suffered some reliability problems and lacked power from the Asiatech Engine. Alex Yoong increasingly looks to be struggling in the team. Perhaps without the pressure of his home race he can concentrate on his work.

Mark Webber maintains his position ahead of Yoong but needs to up his pace well clear of the Malaysian to get himself noticed by the other teams.

Toyota

After two good results in two Grands Prix, Toyota are still being pessimistic about their performance. While it's true the first races have been somewhat exceptional, the cars have been reliable and on the midfield pace.

Despite not having previously run in Sao Paulo, the track plays to the car's strengths - good power output, neutral handling and medium downforce. Testing is now focussing on development and a new engine specification is expected, although there have been some hydraulic related problems. Another chassis has been completed to bring to Brazil.

Mika Salo has acquitted himself well, getting on the pace early in the weekend and running well in the race. Allan McNish still has to gain this quick start up but his race performance is on no doubt after Malaysia.