McLaren's Lewis Hamilton can become the sport's youngest champion in Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix.
The 23-year-old Briton leads Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa, his sole title rival, by seven points ahead of the final race of the season.
The following details how the title duel has unfolded since the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
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Australia - March 16
Hamilton won from pole, Massa started fourth, spun into a wall on the opening lap and then collided with David Coulthard just before the halfway point, retiring four laps later.
Hamilton 10, Massa 0
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Malaysia - March 23
Hamilton was fifth after a wheel nut jammed on his first pitstop while Massa spun off after starting on pole position. Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen won.
Hamilton 14, Massa 0
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Bahrain - April 6
Massa scored his first points of the season while Poland's Robert Kubica took his first pole position for BMW-Sauber. Hamilton collided with Fernando Alonso and finished 13th. Raikkonen took the overall lead.
Hamilton 14, Massa 10
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Spain - April 27
Raikkonen won again to move nine points clear. Massa was second, Hamilton third.
Hamilton 20, Massa 18
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Turkey - May 11
Massa won from pole position, Hamilton was second.
Hamilton and Massa 28
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Monaco - May 25
Hamilton won to take the championship lead from Raikkonen. Massa was third from pole position.
Hamilton 38, Massa 34
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Canada - June 8
Kubica took his and BMW-Sauber's first win to lead the championship. Hamilton led from pole but crashed into the back of Raikkonen's stationary Ferrari in the pit lane. Massa finished fifth after a problem with the refuelling rig forced him to make an extra pitstop.
Hamilton and Massa 38
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France - June 22
Massa won to become first Brazilian to lead the championship since the late Ayrton Senna in 1993. Hamilton was 10th after following up a 10-place penalty on the starting grid with a drive-through.
Massa 48, Hamilton 38
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Great Britain - July 6
Hamilton started fourth and won by more than a minute. Massa spun five times in the wet and finished 13th.
Massa and Hamilton 48
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Germany - July 20
Hamilton won again, Massa was third.
Hamilton 58, Massa 54
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Hungary - August 3
Massa retired after an engine failure while leading three laps from the finish. Hamilton suffered a puncture but was fifth.
Hamilton 62, Massa 54
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Europe - August 24
Massa won from pole position, Hamilton was second.
Hamilton 70, Massa 64
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Belgium - September 7
Massa inherited the win after Hamilton was demoted from first to third for cutting a chicane. Raikkonen crashed on the penultimate lap.
Hamilton 76, Massa 74
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Italy - September 14
Massa was sixth and Hamilton seventh.
Hamilton 78, Massa 77
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Singapore - September 28
Hamilton finished third while Massa, who led until a nightmare pitstop saw him drive off with the fuel hose still attached, failed to score.
Hamilton 84, Massa 77
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Japan - October 12
Hamilton's turn to draw a blank after a reckless start earned a drive-through penalty. He and Massa also collided, for which the Brazilian was punished but finished seventh.
Hamilton 84, Massa 79
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China - October 19
Hamilton won from pole position and with the fastest lap as well. Massa was second after Raikkonen let him through.
Hamilton 94, Massa 87
