F1: six things you need to know about the Brazilian GP

A fortnight on from the Mexican GP, F1 arrives in Brazil ahead of the season finale at Abu Dhabi at the end of the month. Nico Rosberg was victorious last time out having picked up his fourth consecutive pole position, adding further strain to his relationship with teammate Lewis Hamilton.

The newly-crowned world champion claimed Mercedes had felt the need to be “extra warm” towards the German after the US Grand Prix, where an error cost Rosberg the win and the title.

“I don’t know what he really meant with that,” responded Rosberg, who then suggested that Lewis was “probably looking for some excuses” after finishing second in Mexico.

The Brit also finished second to Nico in Sao Paolo last year: to date he has never won a grand prix in Brazil.

And as we explain in the first of our six things, some unideal preparation won’t help Hamilton break that duck this weekend...

Earlier this week it was reported that Lewis Hamilton’s journey to Brazil had been delayed by 24 hours after the 30-year-old came down with a fever in Monaco.

Stranger though was the news that he’d also been involved in a minor car accident in the early hours of Tuesday morning, reportedly damaging his Pagani Zonda in “very light contact” with a stationary vehicle.

Hamilton said that ultimately it was “nobody’s business”, although he admitted: "It was a result of heavy partying and not much rest for 10 days.

“I am a bit run down. I have been non-stop and trying to fit training in at the same time and not getting a lot of sleep.”

Don’t drive tired, kids. Actually, don’t drive at all. You’re not old enough yet.

After months of speculation about Red Bull’s future in the sport, Christian Horner has finally confirmed that his team intends to line up on the grid when the new season gets underway in Melbourne next March.

“We are committed to being in F1 next year and in the future,” said the team boss. "We are working hard to put together as competitive a proposition as possible."

The four-time constructors champion’s relationship with engine providers Renault has disintegrated this season, with the Mercedes and Ferrari power units far ahead in terms of performance.

Red Bull had been expected to part company with the French manufacturers 12 months earlier than planned, although the partnership may continue in some form after talks with Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda went less than swimmingly.

Horner said he hoped to have an agreement in place “by the close of the season”, having previously been given a deadline of the end of October by owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

McLaren driver Fernando Alonso has described his “need to improve” next year after a difficult first season since his return to the Woking outfit last winter.

The Spaniard comically voiced his frustrations over the team radio in Canada and Japan respectively, with poor reliability leaving him five points behind teammate Jenson Button in the standings.

"I need to improve for next year,” said the two-time champion. “I am on, let's say, economy mode to have a strong season next year."

Alonso added that being further up the grid would provide more motivation, and he remains hopeful that the team - along with engines partners Honda – can turn things around in 2016.

Alonso outlined qualifying in Japan and the grand prix in Austin as his highlights of 2015, but said: “Apart from these two moments, I don't think I had the best season."

Organisers at Interlagos have introduced an initiative to promote equality in F1, with the current practice of hiring female 'grid girl' models widely viewed as outdated in the modern world.

Marcelo Peixoto – the force behind Interlagos's decision to bring in a 50/50 gender split between grid girls and boys – reportedly said: “I think it's important that Brazil is also innovating with this change.”

A similar thing happened at the Monaco GP in May, while the World Endurance Championship did away with grid girls altogether earlier this season.

Anthony Davidson, who won the overall WEC title with Toyota in 2014, said at the time that the practice was “pretty backward” and “a bit sexist”.

And as David Coulthard told TG the other day, there’s no reason there shouldn’t be parity on the starting grid either...

The Williams driver, on the hunt for a sixth podium in his home race this weekend, has given his support to the idea of shortening grand prix events from three days to two.

Currently, two practice sessions take place on Fridays with a further shakedown in the build-up to qualifying on Saturdays.

"I have no problem taking out Friday," said Massa. "On Friday, nothing happens, especially if you have bad weather. I think it would be nicer to have more cars running all the time.”

Severe conditions hit the US Grand Prix in Austin last month, with organisers forced to postpone qualifying until the day of the race itself.

Many drivers preferred the shortened format, with a denser schedule potentially offering a better deal for fans. Is less really more?

Cash-flow problems led to the Lotus team being locked out of their hospitality suite in Suzuka a few months ago, with Romain Grosjean forced to do interviews in the rain as other members of the paddock supplied emergency catering.

Events have taken a similar turn this week in Brazil, as it emerged that the Enstone team were turfed out of their garage by security staff at Interlagos on Thursday due to an unexplained ‘commercial arrangement’. Whatever that means.

Other mishaps this year include a delayed supply of tyres from Pirelli in Hungary shortly before the mid-season break, and the arrival of bailiffs in Belgium after Grosjean’s podium in Spa.

The team are waiting to complete a deal with Renault which will ease their financial woes, although no progress on that front has been made public since the French manufacturer signed a letter of intent to reacquire the team in September.

Lotus chief exec Matthew Carter acknowledged that anything could happen with nothing signed and sealed to date, but said that confidence in the deal remained “very high”.