After an eventful 2007 the F1 season has already started the busy off-season. They've already had the first pre-season test, and the drivers merry-go-round has been kicked into the highest gear.

The worst kept secret in sport came out when Fernando Alonso, left McLaren - a team he's fallen out of with so badly his face is probably on the cafeteria dartboard - for Renault, the team he scored both his world driver's titles with, to join GP2 and test driving graduate Nelson Piquet jr . To greet them the French marque has agreed to increase funding (although this may just be Alonso's wages, and to pay for the extra motorhome for his ego) to try to improve on last season's disappointing performance when veteran underperformer Giancarlo Fisichella and rookie Heikki Kovalainen combined for 3rd in the Constructors race (remember McLaren were disqualified, so realistically this is 4th) and only a handful of podium places.

The exodus of the old Renault pair looks set to be the main source of headlines so far, with Fisichella joining the open auditions for the new Force India team. However, Kovalainen has gone onto much better things. He's joined McLaren. And now he thinks he's Lewis Hamilton. He says he is 'confident' of the team treating him as an with Hamilton.  This is pretty unlikely, especially because of 2007. Hamilton will be the undisputed number 1 in that team, not only because of last years results, but because his Ron Dennis' pet project. However, I fear if he does. This question of equality is one of the main reasons for the Alonso bust up, as Hamilton was elevated above his real status.

Also the FIA have the decision on whether any of the technology McLaren stole from Ferrari has been incorporated into their 2008 car. Obviously the internal workings of an F1 car are massively complicated but I wonder how much can realistically be that different in the era of identikit cars, when they pretty much all look the same. Perhaps McLaren should be working on a 6 wheeled-car to escape any accusations?? 

WARNING: No NASCAR here, only cars without bumpers and drivers who don't view right-hand-turns as a novelty. Just exposing myself to the knowledgable motorsport fans here.

About 12 months ago we found out. That an untested rookie from Stevenage and the charismatic Spanish double world champion were going to driver for the previously fragile McLaren team, while the world's mot boring Finn was replacing the cheating German with a giant chin in the bulletproof Ferrari.

A year on and I don't think you'd have paid a psychic who said we'd be here, like this, let alone what we've been through to get here.

Welcome to the 2007 F1 title race.

In a season that's basically been a chore to watch, with only Canada, Germany and Japan offering anything that resembles anything that resembles excitement, the best action seems to have been between lawyers. While on track the two teams have been chasing each other like Cops and Robbers off track it's all been literally cops and robbers. Betwen leaked e-mails between Spaniards, high profile sackings on both sides, Italian police searching the McLaren garage at Monza and more disqualifications than you can shake an FIA branded stick at this season has been more about the pin-stripe suit, not the fire-proof suit.

Last race out in Shanghai, China Hamilton simply needed to finish ahead of Alonso and the title was his. From Hamilton's pole position this was easy, right? But then the rain started, then stopped, then started, then stopped. McLaren engineers failed to grasp that tyre wear down, which resulted in Lewis having an accident an SUV driving commuter would be embarrased about, let alone one of the world's elite drivers. Anyhoo amid fears he'd upset Fernie and the prohibited protest chin-fuzz would re-appear the McLaren principle stayed away from the big red Dastedly & Muttley alike 'Stop the Spaniard button.

All of which sets the drivers championship up like this.

1. Lewis Hamilton - McLaren - 107 pts

2. Fernando Alonso - McLaren - 103 pts

3. Kimi Raikonen - Ferrari - 100 pts

Now the final race is in Interlago, Brazil, a place known for changable weather, sizable crashes and interesting races. What makes it great for the season decider is it neither favours one team, nor the other. The longer wheelbase Ferrari suits the long straights and the sweeping corners, while the McLaren is suited to twisty back part of the track. All three of the drivers above have a chance of winning the title.

Raikonen has the most outside of chances, needing both cars ahead of him to finish poorly relative to where they've been running the rest of the season. But, if you want to import NASCAR-like conspiracie here, a Ferrari win would suit the FIA, and removing any doubt over whether McLaren's cheating won the title.

Alonso needs to beat Hamilton, which is difficult enough considering Lewis has proved to be a formidable qualifier in a sport where starting position is all important, as well as having to overcome the possibility of the 'S.T.S.' button actually existing. He also has something to prove. He's the double champion, he's been whining all year about how he's not the undisputed No. 1 in the team. Now is his chance to put the rookie in his place and show the skill we all know he has. Also this, if he is going to another team next year, probability he is, this is his chance to deliver the finger to the team that's #### him around all year.

Hamilton is in the box seat, leading by what equates to 2 positions. He's shown he will do anything to win, although he'll stop short of Schumi tactics (cf. Adelaide 94, Jerez '97, Monaco '06), but he will make his car very wide. He does lack expericence, as the feeder serie he's raced in before didn't include Brazil, so he's coming in blind, however, that hasn't stopped him yet this season.

What is clear is that F1 needs this last, title deciding race to be a blinder, for one reason or another. Otherwise this will be remembered a the cheating season, and not for anything on track. The fact that the FIA have assigned a few scrutineers just to make sure McLaren don't cheat, favouring one driver over another, shows they believe the same thing.

But, there are unkowns. Has Hamilton got the bottle for the final hurdle, will McLaren realise that tyres wear down, will Ron Dennis conspire to stop Fernie, will the FIA conspire to stop Ron, exactly how many rules will be broken and who will whinge about who.

Find out as the tried and tested rookie takes of the toys-from-pram-ejecting Spaniard in the bulletproof McLarens, against the world's most boring Finn in the fragile Ferrari in.....

Interlagos or Bust.