THE BIG PICTURE: It was a career defining race. We just can't figure out for whom and whether for good or bad.

TRACK: Remind us again why this track isn't the season finale instead of Abu Dhabi?

EVENT: Brazil misses a key factor without a Brazilian driver. But, the locals adopted Max very quickly, and the energy was back.

QUALIFYING: Hamilton doesn't rest on his laurels, Vettel continues to be a headcase destroying the FIA scales, Leclerc puts in an epic lap in Q2 forcing Magnussen to think, "What the ...!", and Vandoorne is still last.

RACE: Interlagos provided another fun and entertaining race.

START: Vettel locks his way back to third as Bottas jumps him, Raikkonen says no, no, no to Verstappen who temporarily gets in front of him, and Ricciardo wastes no time in his march through the field.

HAMILTON: For the first time, Lewis wins a race after he clinched the championship. Though it got handed to him in a way, he still had to then take care of degrading tires and an imminent engine failure to keep Verstappen behind.

BOTTAS: Nowhere to be found.

MERCEDES: Five in a row. One short of Ferrari's record streak. The Silver Star's toughest fight yet. And next year it will probably get even tougher.

OCON: What an absolute idiot! Rule number one in racing -- never, ever screw the leader of the race when you are a lapped car. No matter what.

VERSTAPPEN: Having said that, did Max really need to be that aggressive with Ocon? Why does his ego get so butt hurt if anyone passes him under any circumstance? Back off, let Ocon go, and win the race.

RICCIARDO: Great drive from Daniel. And he finished! We repeat, Ricciardo finished a race!

RED BULL: Look within before you complain of some sort of conspiracy...

RAIKKONEN: Drove like a driver who will still be with the team next year.

VETTEL: While Sebastian was nowhere to be found.

FERRARI: To beat a dead (prancing) horse -- next season, stop making mistakes and you'll be able to beat Mercedes.

LECLERC: We can't wait till he's driving a Ferrari next year.

ERICSSON: A wonderful qualifying effort. An anything but wonderful race effort.

HAAS: The best of the rest minus one. However, they will need a lot going for them to sneak past Renault for fourth place.

RENAULT: They seem to be going backwards these days with reliability.

VANDOORNE: Took it to Alonso. And beat him. 40 races too late...

GRID GIRLS: We're confused all over again. So, scantily clad local Brazilian beauties doing the samba with their gyrations and hip swinging on the podium is okay. But, professionally presented grid girls who just stand there is exploitative? Yes, we're very confused.

WORD OF THE WEEKEND: Unlapping.

STAT OF THE WEEKEND: 44 -- The lap when Verstappen was knocked out of the lead by Ocon giving first place to Hamilton, who happens to adorn number 44.

HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: Since 1973 when the Brazilian GP started, it has always had a Brazilian driver until this year. With a caveat. The "first" Brazilian GP was 1972, but it was a non-championship event because at the time a venue had to prove they were capable of hosting a GP. This is why the first Long Beach GP was an F5000 race. The Fittipaldi brothers, Emerson and Wilson, entered in 1972, along with Luiz Bueno and Carlos Pace. Only 14 cars entered. Two did not qualify; one did not start. Emerson (Lotus-Ford) retired after 32 of the 37 laps, but got the fastest race lap. Bueno (March-Ford) was the last finisher in sixth two laps down and Pace (March-Ford) dropped out after the first lap. Wilson (Brabham-Ford) finished third. Carlos Reutemann (Brabham-Ford) won followed by Ronnie Peterson (March-Ford). The fourth place finisher? Helmut Marko in a BRM. Yes, that Helmut Marko. In 10 championship races, he never scored a point.

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Perhaps Lewis Hamilton put the best overall perspective on it all, "I saw it happen -- I wasn't surprised by it. Max is like that. He's a go-get-it guy and every now and then it comes to bite you."

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: After Charles Leclerc told his team how wet it was in Q2, they told him to pit. He said, "No, I'll give it one more try." And he gave it one heck of a successful try.

SCHEDULE: Driver championship decided. Constructor championship decided. With that drama settled, off to Abu Dhabi which never generates any drama.

Copyright © 2018 by Deep Throttle. All Rights Reserved.