Nov.22 (GMM) A nervous F1 circus has travelled to Sao Paulo for F1's 2012 finale, amid reports of more than 1000 murders in the Brazilian city this year.

Britain's Guardian said the worse-than-usual bloodshed is due to drug-linked organised crime.

"We are not staying in gangland, though the track is near there," a team boss is quoted as saying. "But we don't go out in team colours."

Jenson Button, who two years ago was the victim of an attempted armed attack in Sao Paulo, admitted this week: "We are having armoured vehicles and a police escort."

According to the Times newspaper, the US state department is describing the Sao Paulo violence as "critical" and has warned against gangs targeting foreigners.

Gangs aside, the F1 world - and title protagonists Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso in particular - have their eyes on the weather forecast.

The leading Brazilian authority Climatempo is predicting "intense rain" for qualifying and the race.

With Ferrari's Alonso hoping desperately for rain in order to pull back the dominance of Vettel's Red Bull, Dr Helmut Marko insisted: "Sebastian is also an excellent rain driver."

McLaren's Button commented: "There is a massive chance that it could be chucking it down. It (the title) is definitely not done."

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version

F1 News  F1 Schedule  F1 Line-up  Constructors' Championship  Drivers' Championship  F1 Tickets  Live F1 Coverage

Full Version: Formula 1 News  Formula 1 Schedule  Formula 1 Line-up  Constructors' Championship  Drivers' Championship  Live F1 Coverage  10 'n' Pole  F1 Regulations  The Forums  Motorsport Shop  F1 Merchandise  F1 Tickets  F1 Diecast  F1 Videos  F1 Games