F1 Brazilian Grand Prix LIVE: Sprint race results and reaction as Max Verstappen wins again
Lando Norris’ bid to win for the first time in Formula One was over in the blink of the eye as Max Verstappen claimed another victory in Brazil.
The British driver started from top spot in Saturday’s 24-lap dash to the chequered flag in Interlagos after edging out Verstappen in qualifying.
But Norris, 23, was out-gunned by Verstappen on the short run down to the opening corner to ensure the McLaren man’s wait for a first victory goes on.
Norris had to settle for second, crossing the line 4.2 seconds behind Verstappen. Sergio Perez took third ahead of George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton finished only seventh, 35 sec back.
Follow live updates from the Brazilian Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX - SPRINT
Max Verstappen wins the sprint race; Norris 2nd; Perez 3rd
GREAT MOVE! Lando Norris takes back second place from George Russell
START! Max Verstappen takes the lead from Lando Norris at turn 1
Lando Norris on pole for the sprint race; Verstappen 2nd; Perez 3rd
Pierre Gasly out in SQ2, also out: Ricciardo, Alonso, Bottas, Tsunoda
CRASH! Esteban Ocon in the wall after collision with Fernando Alonso
Lance Stroll out in SQ1, also out: Ocon, Zhou, Albon, Sargeant
PREVIEW: Ayrton Senna’s dazzling genius endures – but where’s the next Brazilian F1 star?
Max Verstappen thwarts Lando Norris’ bid for first F1 win in Brazil sprint
20:37 , Kieran Jackson
Sprint race report
Lando Norris’ bid to win for the first time in Formula One was over in the blink of the eye as Max Verstappen claimed another victory in Brazil.
The British driver started from top spot in Saturday’s 24-lap dash to the chequered flag in Interlagos after edging out Verstappen in qualifying.
But Norris, 23, was out-gunned by Verstappen on the short run down to the opening corner to ensure the McLaren man’s wait for a first victory goes on.
Full report below:
Max Verstappen thwarts Lando Norris’ bid for first F1 win in Brazil sprint
Lewis Hamilton similarly pessimistic ahead of tomorrow’s race:
20:24 , Kieran Jackson
"I will fight as hard as I can tomorrow, but we won't be winning that's for sure"
Lewis Hamilton is not optimistic about Mercedes' chances after a disappointing Sprint race 😟 pic.twitter.com/gw1n2NiCpM— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff not happy:
20:09 , Kieran Jackson
"A bruising day" 🤕
Toto Wolff breaks down what went wrong for Mercedes in the Sao Paulo Sprint 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/FZZ7q8aioU— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Max Verstappen after finishing first in the sprint:
19:58 , Kieran Jackson
“Important to get ahead at the start, we got alongside... then it was all about management. 24 laps on one tyre set is very long, just trying to maintain a constant lap time...
“For everyone out there, you can’t push flat out. You have to keep the tyres under control.
“It’s a great start, we learned a lot in that race and hopefully we can do something similar tomorrow.”
Lando Norris after finishing second:
19:45 , Kieran Jackson
“I have to review it, something to look back on. The second phase of the launch... maybe I was a bit conservative. Things to improve, caught sleeping a bit with George but then tried to go after Max, it was strong.
“We’re not fighting Max tomorrow, it’s one of the best drivers in the best cars in the history of Formula 1. A lot of positives for us, of course tomorrow I’ll try again.”
"Maybe I was just a bit conservative"
Lando Norris says he's 'encouraged' by McLaren's pace after his P2 in the Sao Paulo Sprint 👇 pic.twitter.com/0EJXAvmdbw— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Sergio Perez after finishing third:
19:31 , Kieran Jackson
“It was not an easy one, I had a terrible start. From then on, I was fighting - overall, it’s been a good day. Good points there. Without the start we could have been further up.
“It’s important to keep the momentum going now, hopefully tomorrow we can consolidate on a strong result.”
"Without the start we could have been a lot further up" ⬆
Sergio Perez reacts to his P3 in the Sao Paulo Sprint ⚡ pic.twitter.com/9yJJtweJJ3— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Max Verstappen after another win in 2023:
19:21 , Kieran Jackson
"Much better than last year" 😅
That Sprint winning radio from Max Verstappen 📻 pic.twitter.com/9ZFlyrQhgp— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Lando Norris after coming home second:
19:14 , Kieran Jackson
“Just didn’t have the pace in the end, too much deg compared to him but good effort!”
Max Verstappen wins the sprint in Brazil!
19:05 , Kieran Jackson
A fourth sprint win of the season for Max Verstappen - he wins in Interlagos!
Lando Norris comes home second, with Sergio Perez securing a much-needed third place!
4-8: Russell, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Hamilton, Sainz
Daniel Ricciardo just two-tenths off Carlos Sainz right at the end... just misses out on a point!
Max Verstappen leading by three seconds on final lap (Lap 24/24)
19:03 , Kieran Jackson
Final lap. Max Verstappen cruising to another victory in 2023.
Top-eight looks fairly set now.
1-8: Verstappen, Norris, Perez, Russell, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Hamilton, Sainz
Yuki Tsunoda passes Lewis Hamilton! (Lap 22/24)
19:02 , Kieran Jackson
Hamilton again powerless - looks like he’s on ice! - at turn 1 as Tsunoda steams down the inside.
The new softs compared to used softs seemingly making a huge difference.
Charles Leclerc now within DRS on Lewis Hamilton (Lap 21/24)
19:00 , Kieran Jackson
Mercedes really struggling today. Lewis Hamilton over 20 seconds off the lead and he’s now been passed by Charles Leclerc - the Brit’s tyres look to have really dropped off!
Hamilton now under pressure in P6 from Yuki Tsunoda!
Max Verstappen now two seconds clear of Lando Norris (Lap 19/24)
18:57 , Kieran Jackson
Doesn’t look like it’s going to be Lando Norris’ day - he’s dropped back to two seconds behind Max Verstappen, who after some stern words from his race engineer has improved his pace.
Within the points positions now, it seems to have settled slightly - nobody in the top-9 is within DRS.
Six laps to go.
1-8: Verstappen, Norris, Perez, Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Sainz
Lando Norris just hanging on the tail to Max Verstappen (Lap 14/24)
18:53 , Kieran Jackson
Tell you what, Max Verstappen isn’t pulling away from Lando Norris - the gap now around 1.2 secs, can the McLaren get within DRS?
Sergio Perez has dropped off in third but George Russell struggling for pace behind him!
Further back, some great racing between Sainz, Piastri and Ricciardo, but the elder Aussie loses out - dropping to P10.
1-8: Verstappen, Norris, Perez, Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Sainz, Piastri, Ricciardo
Deja Vu for Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz 😅 pic.twitter.com/DnsSoJdeT6
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Sergio Perez and George Russell toying for position (Lap 9/24)
18:47 , Kieran Jackson
Perez takes third from Russell at turn 1, before the Mercedes gets it back at turn 4!
Great racing - but the Brit currently in P3 as it stands.
Lando Norris just struggling to close the gap to Max Verstappen, the gap now 1.7 secs.
Tsunoda doing well to maintain P7 at the moment...
1-8: Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Perez, Hamilton, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Sainz
Daniel Ricciardo is on the tail of Carlos Sainz for that last championship point...
Lando Norris takes back second place (Lap 5/24)
18:42 , Kieran Jackson
Superior pace it seems for the McLaren early on here, as Lando Norris takes back second place into turn 1 from the powerless George Russell.
Some thrilling early racing in the sprint!
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, now 1.5 secs clear of second-placed Norris.
Sergio Perez has too much pace for Lewis Hamilton (Lap 4/24)
18:39 , Kieran Jackson
Perez, with DRS, simply has too much for Hamilton on the main straight - the Brit drops to P5!
Max Verstappen leads (Lap 3/24)
18:39 , Kieran Jackson
So a tough start for Lando Norris, down to P3 - but he has got over one second from Lewis Hamilton behind him, who is under pressure from Sergio Perez!
Meanwhile, George Russell is within 0.8 secs to Max Verstappen out in front - it’s all very tight within the pack!
1-8: Verstappen, Russell, Norris, Hamilton, Perez, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Sainz
A reminder that only the top-eight score points in the sprint!
Max Verstappen takes the lead at turn 1!
18:36 , Kieran Jackson
It’s lights out - and Max Verstappen gets the jump on Lando Norris, steaming down the inside at turn 1!
And by the end of the first lap, George Russell also overtakes the McLaren and he’s up to second!
Lewis Hamilton goes for a terrific move down the outside of turn 4 to take fourth from Sergio Perez too!
Perez down to P5!
WHAT A START FOR MAX VERSTAPPEN! 😲
A hectic opening Sprint lap in Sao Paulo 👀 pic.twitter.com/aScxuRuNvZ— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Formation lap!
18:31 , Kieran Jackson
So Lando Norris leads the pack around for the formation lap around Interlagos, the fourth-shortest track on the calendar.
Everyone bar three drivers - Magnussen, Hulkenberg, Sargeant - start on soft tyres.
Can Lando keep the lead out of turn 3?!
Starting grid for the sprint race:
18:28 , Kieran Jackson
1) Lando Norris
2) Max Verstappen
3) Sergio Perez
4) George Russell
5) Lewis Hamilton
6) Yuki Tsunoda
7) Charles Leclerc
8) Daniel Ricciardo
9) Carlos Sainz
10) Oscar Piastri
11) Kevin Magnussen
12) Nico Hulkenberg
13) Pierre Gasly
14) Valtteri Bottas
15) Fernando Alonso
16) Esteban Ocon
17) Lance Stroll
18) Zhou Guanyu
19) Alex Albon
20) Logan Sargeant
Five minutes from the sprint in Interlagos!
18:26 , Kieran Jackson
Lando Norris is on pole, with the small matter of Max Verstappen alongside him on the front row.
Can he claim his first win in F1 for McLaren?
What is a sprint race in F1 and how does qualifying shootout work?
18:12 , Kieran Jackson
Sprint explainer:
What is a sprint race in F1 and how does qualifying shootout work?
Lando Norris claims pole position for sprint race in Brazilian Grand Prix
18:02 , Kieran Jackson
Sprint shootout report
Lando Norris saw off triple world champion Max Verstappen to take pole position for today’s sprint race in Brazil.
The British driver, 23, beat Verstappen to top spot by 0.061 seconds in Interlagos with Sergio Perez third.
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton will line up from fourth and fifth respectively for Mercedes.
Full report below:
Lando Norris claims pole position for sprint race in Brazil
Ayrton Senna’s dazzling genius endures – but where’s the next Brazilian F1 star?
17:56 , Kieran Jackson
Weekend preview by Kieran Jackson
For a career as distinguished as three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna’s, his record at his home race was peculiarly underwhelming. Having made his debut in 1984 and tasted disqualification while leading in 1988, Sao Paulo’s favourite son only claimed his first victory at Interlagos in 1991. And, like much in the Brazilian’s enthralling time in F1, it was no easy ride.
Starting on pole, Senna’s path to victory seemed nailed on until a late gearbox issue forced him to complete the final laps solely in sixth gear. With the heavens having opened too, a stall or a spin seemed excruciatingly inevitable but somehow, in a manner which would have been described as miraculous if it wasn’t Ayrton Senna’s doing, he inched home by two seconds. Physically and mentally exhausted, the hometown hero needed assistance exiting his McLaren cockpit.
Broken, but not beaten.
Read full piece below:
Ayrton Senna’s dazzling genius endures – but where’s the next Brazilian F1 star?
Lewis Hamilton ahead of the sprint:
17:44 , Kieran Jackson
“My last lap wasn’t that spectacular, could have been one or two more spots forward. Maximising the time on each of the tyres is the challenge. Had a bit of a snap out the last corner. Car needs to be easier to drive, too.”
He starts the sprint P5.
Starting grid for the sprint race:
17:33 , Kieran Jackson
1) Lando Norris
2) Max Verstappen
3) Sergio Perez
4) George Russell
5) Lewis Hamilton
6) Yuki Tsunoda
7) Charles Leclerc
8) Daniel Ricciardo
9) Carlos Sainz
10) Oscar Piastri
11) Kevin Magnussen
12) Nico Hulkenberg
13) Pierre Gasly
14) Valtteri Bottas
15) Fernando Alonso
16) Esteban Ocon
17) Lance Stroll
18) Zhou Guanyu
19) Alex Albon
20) Logan Sargeant
Driver Standings ahead of the Brazilian GP weekend:
17:20 , Kieran Jackson
1) Max Verstappen - 491 points (champion)
2) Sergio Perez - 240 points
3) Lewis Hamilton - 220 points
4) Carlos Sainz - 183 points
5) Fernando Alonso - 183 points
6) Lando Norris - 169 points
7) Charles Leclerc - 166 points
8) George Russell - 151 points
9) Oscar Piastri - 87 points
10) Pierre Gasly - 56 points
11) Lance Stroll - 53 points
12) Esteban Ocon - 45 points
13) Alex Albon - 27 points
14) Valtteri Bottas - 10 points
15) Nico Hulkenberg - 9 points
16) Yuki Tsunoda - 8 points
17) Daniel Ricciardo - 6 points
18) Zhou Guanyu - 6 points
19) Kevin Magnussen - 3 points
20) Liam Lawson - 2 points
21) Logan Sargeant - 1 point
21) Nyck de Vries - 0 points
Aston Martin chief reacts after poor run of form: ‘Lawrence is not happy’
17:05 , Kieran Jackson
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack revealed owner Lawrence Stroll “is not happy” with the F1 team’s current run of form.
Aston were the surprise package at the start of the season, consistently the second quickest team on the grid behind Red Bull with Fernando Alonso claiming five podiums in the first six races.
However, the team’s performance has declined since the summer break and they have dropped from P2 in the constructors’ championship to P5, with Mercedes, Ferrari and now McLaren all overtaking them.
Full quotes below:
‘Lawrence is not happy’: Aston Martin chief reacts to poor run of form
What is a sprint race in F1 and how does qualifying shootout work?
16:43 , Kieran Jackson
Sprint explainer:
What is a sprint race in F1 and how does qualifying shootout work?
George Russell:
16:34 , Kieran Jackson
“Conditions play a huge role. It worked in Q3, the lap was good, clean. P4 was where we expected to be. Excited for this afternoon, trust our race pace is better than our quali pace.”
Qualified fourth.
Ayrton Senna’s dazzling genius endures – but where’s the next Brazilian F1 star?
16:21 , Kieran Jackson
Weekend preview by Kieran Jackson
For a career as distinguished as three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna’s, his record at his home race was peculiarly underwhelming. Having made his debut in 1984 and tasted disqualification while leading in 1988, Sao Paulo’s favourite son only claimed his first victory at Interlagos in 1991. And, like much in the Brazilian’s enthralling time in F1, it was no easy ride.
Starting on pole, Senna’s path to victory seemed nailed on until a late gearbox issue forced him to complete the final laps solely in sixth gear. With the heavens having opened too, a stall or a spin seemed excruciatingly inevitable but somehow, in a manner which would have been described as miraculous if it wasn’t Ayrton Senna’s doing, he inched home by two seconds. Physically and mentally exhausted, the hometown hero needed assistance exiting his McLaren cockpit.
Broken, but not beaten.
Read full piece below:
Ayrton Senna’s dazzling genius endures – but where’s the next Brazilian F1 star?
Lando Norris’ pole-claiming lap:
16:10 , Kieran Jackson
The lap that secured Sprint Pole for Lando Norris in Sao Paulo 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/LgSsmuYO0r
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Starting grid for the sprint race:
15:59 , Kieran Jackson
1) Lando Norris
2) Max Verstappen
3) Sergio Perez
4) George Russell
5) Lewis Hamilton
6) Yuki Tsunoda
7) Charles Leclerc
8) Daniel Ricciardo
9) Carlos Sainz
10) Oscar Piastri
11) Kevin Magnussen
12) Nico Hulkenberg
13) Pierre Gasly
14) Valtteri Bottas
15) Fernando Alonso
16) Esteban Ocon
17) Lance Stroll
18) Zhou Guanyu
19) Alex Albon
20) Logan Sargeant
Lando Norris after qualifying on pole:
15:50 , Kieran Jackson
“My turn 1, turn 2, were terrible! The rest of it was good. We’re still good enough for P1, a pleasant surprise.
“There’s the hindsight of what could have been yesterday. Qualifying is the one I need to be improved, it’s my kryptonite. When you have a car competitive for pole, I’m going to be annoyed when I make mistakes and start sixth.”
Incidentally, Norris will be seeing the stewards for a slow delta time on his out-lap, but he’s confident he’ll be fine as he had to let cars pass him.
Constructors’ standings ahead of Brazilian GP weekend:
Sunday 5 November 2023 15:02 , Kieran Jackson
1) Red Bull - 731 points (champions)
2) Mercedes - 371 points
3) Ferrari - 349 points
4) McLaren - 256 points
5) Aston Martin - 236 points
6) Alpine - 101 points
7) Williams - 28 points
8) AlphaTauri - 16 points
9) Alfa Romeo - 16 points
10) Haas - 12 points
Max Verstappen after qualifying P2 for the sprint:
15:42 , Kieran Jackson
“My last lap, sector one and sector two not really on it. Too slow. Always a bit tough when you have that one tyre set.”
Lando Norris after claiming pole for the sprint:
15:28 , Kieran Jackson
“Good day. Honestly it felt like one of the worst laps I’ve done, it was a good surprise. my first pole in a long time so I’m happy!
“The pace has been good all weekend, we’re on the right track. The Red Bulls are always quick, it’s not going to be an easy race but I’ll give it my all!”
TOP-10 FOR THE SPRINT RACE:
15:16 , Kieran Jackson
1) Lando Norris
2) Max Verstappen
3) Sergio Perez
4) George Russell
5) Lewis Hamilton
6) Yuki Tsunoda
7) Charles Leclerc
8) Daniel Ricciardo
9) Carlos Sainz
10) Oscar Piastri
Lando Norris is on pole for the sprint race!
15:07 , Kieran Jackson
You love to see it! After a disappointing grand prix qualifying, Lando Norris is on pole with a 1:10:622!
Max Verstappen in second, 0.061 secs down, with Sergio Perez in third - 0.134 secs down on Norris.
4-10: Russell, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Leclerc, Ricciardo, Sainz, Piastri
All out now!
15:04 , Kieran Jackson
Here we go then!
Big queue at the end of the pit lane - again! - but they’ll spread out as they prepare their cars for their flying lap!
No car out yet!
15:01 , Kieran Jackson
Four minutes gone, four to go, and no cars out on track!
Looks like they’re all waiting for one/two flying runs. Perez and Piastri don’t have new softs, so will run with used softs here - putting them up against it.
SQ3 underway!
14:59 , Kieran Jackson
We’re underway then!
Eight minutes, all on softs. Let’s do it!
10 drivers involved: Verstappen, Perez, Leclerc, Sainz, Hamilton, Russell, Norris, Piastri, Ricciardo, Tsundoa
Can AlphaTauri ruffle some feathers?
Fernando Alonso, after qualifying 15th for the sprint:
14:56 , Kieran Jackson
“We could not complete the qualifying, it’s a shame both cars out. A lot of damage on both cars, not the way we wanted. I didn’t see the replay yet, one of those things - wrong place, wrong moment.”
"One of those situations, wrong place, wrong moment"
Fernando Alonso reacts to his contact with Esteban Ocon in the Sprint Shootout 👇 pic.twitter.com/cD9wGmGyG8— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Pierre Gasly knocked out!
14:53 , Kieran Jackson
Gasly and both Haas cars among the bottom-five after SQ2, with Yuki Tsunoda through in P10!
Bottom-five (11-15) and out in SQ2: Magnussen, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Bottas, Alonso (no time)
Now time for the quickfire top-10 shootout on soft tyres!
A slow set of first laps from the Mercedes duo
14:48 , Kieran Jackson
Five cars have not set any times and thus they occupy the bottom-five on the leaderboard: Ricciardo, Alonso, Gasly, Bottas, Tsunoda
Yet the Mercedes pairing of Hamilton and Russell are bottom of all the runners, below the likes of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.
SQ2 underway!
14:42 , Kieran Jackson
SQ2 now underway - 10 minutes this time, and medium compound tyre once more.
Fernando Alonso won’t be taking to the track though - Aston cannot repair the damage in time, and so he’ll be P15 most likely for the sprint.
UPDATE: SQ2 will start at 2:40pm (GMT)
14:37 , Kieran Jackson
Message from race control: sprint shootout will resume in three minutes.
Delay to SQ2!
14:26 , Kieran Jackson
While the stewards repair the wall at turn 3, the Aston Martin engineers work frantically to fix Alonso’s car for SQ2.
There will be a delay to proceedings in the meantime though...
Ocon clashed with Alonso!
14:15 , Kieran Jackson
Wow!
The two former Alpine team-mates collided in sector one, with Alonso swooping slightly left and Ocon oversteering, slamming into the Aston Martin and into the barriers!
“F****** idiot, Fernando!” says Ocon. But I think the Frenchman was at fault, given the oversteer!
Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso make contact and Esteban goes into the barriers! pic.twitter.com/7pdxTUQfhi
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 4, 2023
Esteban Ocon crashes into the barrier!
14:14 , Kieran Jackson
Big shunt in sector one for Esteban Ocon! That’s that for SQ1!
And Ocon was in P16, so is out anyway.
Bottom-five and out in SQ1 (16-20): Ocon, Stroll, Zhou, Albon, Sargeant
Fernando Alonso, in 11th, has a puncture as well!
Lance Stroll in bottom-five
14:10 , Kieran Jackson
Lance Stroll qualified third yesterday but is in trouble early on here, he’s P16 and in the bottom-five!
Current bottom-five (16-20): Stroll, Zhou, Albon, Tsunoda, Sargeant
Oscar Piastri only P14, too, after a few hot laps.
3:00 to go...
Carlos Sainz quickest out of the early runners
14:06 , Kieran Jackson
Sainz goes top with a 1:11:796, with Lewis Hamilton a tenth down and Max Verstappen in third.
Only 10 cars have set times early on - Albon and Sargeant the slowest early on.
Expect all that to change though !
6:00 remaining...
What is a sprint race in F1 and how does qualifying shootout work?
14:04 , Kieran Jackson
Sprint explainer:
What is a sprint race in F1 and how does qualifying shootout work?
SQ1 underway!
14:01 , Kieran Jackson
And we’re go with the first session of this sprint shootout on Saturday in Sao Paulo!
Not a huge rush to get out on track - but both Red Bull cars leave the track first.
A reminder: it’s a 12-minute session, with the medium tyre the compulsory tyre in use.
Sprint shootout coming up!
13:58 , Kieran Jackson
We’re just minutes away from the sprint shootout at Interlagos!
And it’s an Interlagos which is dry, if a little overcast with glimpses of the sun through the clouds, after the heavy storm last night!
Will it be Max Verstappen - or can someone else stop him?
Ayrton Senna’s dazzling genius endures – but where’s the next Brazilian F1 star?
13:48 , Kieran Jackson
Weekend preview by Kieran Jackson
For a career as distinguished as three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna’s, his record at his home race was peculiarly underwhelming. Having made his debut in 1984 and tasted disqualification while leading in 1988, Sao Paulo’s favourite son only claimed his first victory at Interlagos in 1991. And, like much in the Brazilian’s enthralling time in F1, it was no easy ride.
Starting on pole, Senna’s path to victory seemed nailed on until a late gearbox issue forced him to complete the final laps solely in sixth gear. With the heavens having opened too, a stall or a spin seemed excruciatingly inevitable but somehow, in a manner which would have been described as miraculous if it wasn’t Ayrton Senna’s doing, he inched home by two seconds. Physically and mentally exhausted, the hometown hero needed assistance exiting his McLaren cockpit.
Broken, but not beaten.
Read full piece below:
Ayrton Senna’s dazzling genius endures – but where’s the next Brazilian F1 star?
Aston Martin chief reacts after poor run of form: ‘Lawrence is not happy’
13:44 , Kieran Jackson
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack revealed owner Lawrence Stroll “is not happy” with the F1 team’s current run of form.
Aston were the surprise package at the start of the season, consistently the second quickest team on the grid behind Red Bull with Fernando Alonso claiming five podiums in the first six races.
However, the team’s performance has declined since the summer break and they have dropped from P2 in the constructors’ championship to P5, with Mercedes, Ferrari and now McLaren all overtaking them.
Full quotes below:
‘Lawrence is not happy’: Aston Martin chief reacts to poor run of form
What is the starting grid for Sunday’s grand prix?
13:39 , Kieran Jackson
1) Max Verstappen
2) Charles Leclerc
3) Lance Stroll
4) Fernando Alonso
5) Lewis Hamilton
6) Lando Norris
7) Carlos Sainz
8) George Russell*
9) Sergio Perez
10) Oscar Piastri
11) Nico Hulkenberg
12) Kevin Magnussen
13) Alex Albon
14) Esteban Ocon*
15) Pierre Gasly*
16) Yuki Tsunoda
17) Daniel Ricciardo
18) Valtteri Bottas
19) Logan Sargeant
20) Zhou Guanyu
*Russell, Ocon and Gasly all received two-place grid penalties for impeding in qualifying
Max Verstappen on pole as torrential rain brings red flag out in Brazil
13:28 , Kieran Jackson
Qualifying report
Max Verstappen required just one lap to put his Red Bull on pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The triple world champion saw off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as a huge storm brought a premature end to qualifying in Interlagos.
Verstappen finished three tenths clear of Leclerc as he chases his 17th win of a remarkable season, with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso third and fourth respectively for Aston Martin.
Full report below:
Max Verstappen on pole as torrential rain brings red flag out in Brazil
Constructors’ standings ahead of Brazilian GP weekend:
13:11 , Kieran Jackson
1) Red Bull - 731 points (champions)
2) Mercedes - 371 points
3) Ferrari - 349 points
4) McLaren - 256 points
5) Aston Martin - 236 points
6) Alpine - 101 points
7) Williams - 28 points
8) AlphaTauri - 16 points
9) Alfa Romeo - 16 points
10) Haas - 12 points
Lando Norris ‘gutted’ to miss out on Brazilian GP pole after McLaren blunder
12:59 , Kieran Jackson
Lando Norris felt he should have been on pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix after a McLaren blunder left him only sixth on the grid for Sunday’s 71-lap race.
Triple world champion Max Verstappen claimed his 11th pole of the season following a qualifying session which ended abruptly after a huge storm hit Interlagos.
Charles Leclerc took second for Ferrari ahead of the Aston Martin pair of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso.
Full quotes below:
Lando Norris ‘gutted’ to miss out on Brazilian GP pole after McLaren blunder
Driver Standings ahead of the Brazilian GP weekend:
12:46 , Kieran Jackson
1) Max Verstappen - 491 points (champion)
2) Sergio Perez - 240 points
3) Lewis Hamilton - 220 points
4) Carlos Sainz - 183 points
5) Fernando Alonso - 183 points
6) Lando Norris - 169 points
7) Charles Leclerc - 166 points
8) George Russell - 151 points
9) Oscar Piastri - 87 points
10) Pierre Gasly - 56 points
11) Lance Stroll - 53 points
12) Esteban Ocon - 45 points
13) Alex Albon - 27 points
14) Valtteri Bottas - 10 points
15) Nico Hulkenberg - 9 points
16) Yuki Tsunoda - 8 points
17) Daniel Ricciardo - 6 points
18) Zhou Guanyu - 6 points
19) Kevin Magnussen - 3 points
20) Liam Lawson - 2 points
21) Logan Sargeant - 1 point
21) Nyck de Vries - 0 points
Brazilian Grand Prix contract extended
12:32 , Kieran Jackson
F1 will race in Sao Paulo until 2030 after a five-year extension to the circuit’s deal with the sport!
“I am delighted to announce we will be staying at Interlagos until 2030, and I can’t wait for many more years of the wonderful atmosphere that the Brazilian fans bring,” said F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“Brazil has such a rich racing heritage, and this iconic circuit is a favourite of drivers and fans around the world. It embodies everything that is great about racing, and we look forward to seeing how it develops over the years to come to create an even better experience.”
Ayrton Senna’s dazzling genius endures – but where’s the next Brazilian F1 star?
12:16 , Kieran Jackson
Weekend preview by Kieran Jackson
For a career as distinguished as three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna’s, his record at his home race was peculiarly underwhelming. Having made his debut in 1984 and tasted disqualification while leading in 1988, Sao Paulo’s favourite son only claimed his first victory at Interlagos in 1991. And, like much in the Brazilian’s enthralling time in F1, it was no easy ride.
Starting on pole, Senna’s path to victory seemed nailed on until a late gearbox issue forced him to complete the final laps solely in sixth gear. With the heavens having opened too, a stall or a spin seemed excruciatingly inevitable but somehow, in a manner which would have been described as miraculous if it wasn’t Ayrton Senna’s doing, he inched home by two seconds. Physically and mentally exhausted, the hometown hero needed assistance exiting his McLaren cockpit.
Broken, but not beaten.
Read full piece below:
Ayrton Senna’s dazzling genius endures – but where’s the next Brazilian F1 star?
What is the starting grid for Sunday’s grand prix?
12:06 , Kieran Jackson
1) Max Verstappen
2) Charles Leclerc
3) Lance Stroll
4) Fernando Alonso
5) Lewis Hamilton
6) Lando Norris
7) Carlos Sainz
8) George Russell*
9) Sergio Perez
10) Oscar Piastri
11) Nico Hulkenberg
12) Kevin Magnussen
13) Alex Albon
14) Esteban Ocon*
15) Pierre Gasly*
16) Yuki Tsunoda
17) Daniel Ricciardo
18) Valtteri Bottas
19) Logan Sargeant
20) Zhou Guanyu
*Russell, Ocon and Gasly all received two-place grid penalties for impeding in qualifying
F1 schedule for Brazilian Grand Prix:
12:02 , Kieran Jackson
(All times GMT)
Saturday 4 November
Sprint shootout: 2pm
Sprint race: 6:30pm
Sunday 5 November
Race: 5pm
Max Verstappen on pole as torrential rain brings red flag out in Brazil
12:00 , Kieran Jackson
Qualifying report
Max Verstappen required just one lap to put his Red Bull on pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The triple world champion saw off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as a huge storm brought a premature end to qualifying in Interlagos.
Verstappen finished three tenths clear of Leclerc as he chases his 17th win of a remarkable season, with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso third and fourth respectively for Aston Martin.
Full report below:
Max Verstappen on pole as torrential rain brings red flag out in Brazil
F1 sprint day at the Brazilian Grand Prix!
11:57 , Kieran Jackson
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the sixth and final sprint day of the 2023 F1 season!
Max Verstappen is on pole for Sunday’s grand prix after a chaotic, windy end to qualifying on Friday, with Charles Leclerc alongside him on the front row.
But today is all about the sprint, with the quickfire shootout qualifying taking place before the 100km dash around Interlagos this evening.
The shootout is at 2pm (GMT), with the race at 6:30pm - stay here for all the build-up and updates!
