Brazilian Grand Prix 2012 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Sebastian Vettel secured his third consecutive World Championship in the most dramatic, chaotic, and heart-stopping season finale in Formula 1 history, recovering from a first-lap collision that left him in 22nd place and seemingly out of title contention to finish sixth and beat Fernando Alonso by just three points. Jenson Button won the rain-soaked Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos ahead of Alonso and Felipe Massa, but all eyes were on Vettel's heroic charge through the field in a damaged Red Bull as the championship hung in the balance lap after agonizing lap. The race delivered unrelenting drama from the opening corner to the checkered flag, with torrential rain, multiple safety cars, and shifting championship calculations creating the most nerve-shredding finale the sport had witnessed since 2008.

The race exploded into chaos within seconds of the start when Vettel, needing only to finish ahead of Alonso to guarantee the title, was hit by Bruno Senna's Williams at Turn 4 on the opening lap, spinning the Red Bull and causing significant damage to its left sidepod and rear bodywork. As Vettel dropped to dead last in 22nd position, his championship appeared lost. Meanwhile, Alonso surged through the field from seventh on the grid, quickly moving into second place behind Button - putting the Spaniard on course to claim his third world title. For Ferrari and Alonso, the dream was coming true; for Red Bull and Vettel, it was a nightmare. But the 25-year-old German refused to surrender. Aided by a perfectly-timed safety car period that allowed Red Bull mechanics to repair his damaged car and fit fresh tires, Vettel began one of the most remarkable recovery drives in championship history. Lap by lap, overtake by overtake, he carved through the field with a combination of supreme skill, calculated aggression, and sheer determination as the Brazilian rain intensified and the circuit became treacherously slippery.

Button controlled the race brilliantly from the front, managing the appalling conditions with the composure that had made him 2009's champion, while Alonso drove magnificently to secure second place, doing absolutely everything required of him. Ferrari's pit wall believed they had won the championship as Alonso crossed the line, briefly celebrating before the agonizing realization dawned - Vettel had clawed his way to sixth place, scoring the ten points needed to pip Alonso 281-278 for the title. The final laps were among the most emotionally intense in F1 history, with Vettel's race engineer Christian Horner screaming updates and encouragement as the German hunted down every position. When the checkered flag fell, Vettel's radio eruption of emotion was raw and unfiltered - he had saved the championship from disaster through sheer willpower. Massa completed the podium for Ferrari in third, while Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap from pole position despite retiring from the race. The 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix provided a fitting, dramatic conclusion to one of Formula 1's most unpredictable and competitive seasons - a year that featured seven different winners in the first seven races before Vettel's late-season dominance secured his third straight title. At 25 years old, he became the youngest triple world champion in history, cementing his status among the sport's immortals through a display of champion's resolve that will be remembered forever.