The full Brazilian

At Interlagos, the venue for the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix, Jensen Button fianlly joined the ranks of British Championship winners after winning what was a classic, and quite interesting race.

And so it's over for another year (apart from what amounts to a parade race in Abu Dhabi)

Years ago, I saw a movie called, simply, Grand Prix (1966). Directed by John Frankenheimer, it caused a stir because it was one of the first and one of the few Cinerama films. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won three. I saw it at the Leicester Square Odeon in its intended, space-age format. I have no idea what it looks like today, but then, with the wrap-around three projector screen that must have been 20 feet high and sixty feet across, it was incredible. Moreover, the film captured the melodrama of Formula One motor racing. Far more incredible though, in terms of melodrama, is the rise from the ashes of the Brawn GP team from the demise of Honda: the story of how a team in financial ruin, on the verge of implosion, went on to win the twin honours of constructors and drivers championships. I would have thought that story might not have made it into the script because it was too unbelievable.

But back to Brazil.

As Murray Walker said before the race of the Sau Paulo track, "It's a bit run down, it's a bit shabby, but the atmosphere there is absolutely incredible"

The chequered flag was waved by Felipe Massa, who so very nearly won the championship at the same track last year but who was out this season after a serious head injury caused by bits of flying debris from a Brawn car. Unlucky? Not as unlucky as his fellow Brazilian who was a World Champion; he was hit in the head by debris from his own car and was killed. Of course, I write of the late, great, Ayrton Senna. What a fine line there is between "quite interesting" and "tragic". On today's track there were tears all round. I am pleased to say, they were tears of relief and joy.