2006 Brazilian Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 18 of 18 in the 2006 Formula One season | |||
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| Date | 22 October 2006 | ||
| Official name | XXXV Grande Prêmio do Brasil | ||
| Location | Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 4.309 km (2.677 mi) | ||
| Distance | 71 laps, 305.909 km (190.067 mi) | ||
| Weather | Temperatures reaching up to 23 °C (73 °F) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Ferrari | ||
| Time | 1:10.680 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Michael Schumacher
|
Ferrari | |
| Time | 1:12.162 on lap 70 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Ferrari | ||
| Second | Renault | ||
| Third | Honda | ||
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The 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 22 October 2006 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo. It was the 18th and final race of the 2006 Formula One season. The race determined the drivers' and constructors' championships for the season, with Fernando Alonso and Renault winning their respective championships. The race itself attracted 154 million viewers.
The race was won by Ferrari's Felipe Massa, with Renault's Fernando Alonso coming in second and Honda's Jenson Button taking third. Massa's win was the first time that a Brazilian driver had won their home grand prix since Ayrton Senna in 1993. Michael Schumacher, in what was expected to be his last ever race, finished fourth despite starting the race in 10th position and having a punctured tyre during the race which dropped him to 19th place.
Schumacher retired from Formula One after this race (although he would return in 2010 with Mercedes), with 7 world titles and 16 years experience to his name. His seat at Ferrari was taken by Kimi Räikkönen, whilst Alonso moved to McLaren to partner rookie Lewis Hamilton.
Following Michael Schumacher's engine failure and Fernando Alonso's victory in the previous race in Japan, Alonso was now 10 points ahead of Schumacher in the Drivers' Championship, therefore Alonso would clinch the championship unless Schumacher went on to win the race and Alonso failed to score a single point. This circumstance was a highly improbable situation, given the performance of the Renaults through the year despite the Ferraris being easily the fastest car of the weekend. Michael Schumacher had realised this at Suzuka and had admitted defeat then.
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