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Tyres NorthamptonInterlagos has delivered some stellar races in the past. The undulating circuit is a challenge to set a perfect lap on, and small mistakes have had championship-altering consequences in the past. With Max Verstappen fighting tooth and nail to retain his lead in the 2024 standings, Sao Paulo could again serve up a wild weekend in F1.
Lando Norris had to take avoiding action from Verstappen's defensive moves in both of the previous two grands prix. Stemming the flow of points in Norris' favour is Verstappen's goal as the season comes to a close, while the McLaren man is trying to add to his win tally. So far, things are going in Verstappen's favour, but the Dutch driver's racing standards are under increased scrutiny. Might he face more penalties in Sao Paulo after the 20-second reprimand in Mexico?
There is an elephant-sized Prancing Horse in the room, too. Ferrari secured consecutive victories in the US GP and Mexico City GP, where Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz showcased the Scuderia's late-season speed. While the World Drivers' Championship has a wide gap at the top, the Constructors' standings are increasingly tight. Ferrari overtook Red Bull Racing for P2 in the title race in Mexico and are closing in on McLaren to add complications to Norris' hopes of taking the title.
Of course, the Sprint race on Saturday adds further point-scoring opportunities for all the championship antagonists. Although the shorter-format race remains quite Marmite for fans, the Sao Paulo Sprints have often provided plenty of entertainment. With the weather forecast suggesting changeable conditions over the weekend, having Sprint effectively doubles the chances of a wet weather race and the unpredictability that comes with it.
As it was in Mexico City, Pirelli has the softest tyre compounds, the C3, C4, and C5, for the Sao Paulo GP. There's also a new surface at Interlagos after the circuit recently completed its asphalt-laying work. It might not be the most exciting subject, but it is something that teams and drivers must adapt to over with only one Free Practice session to test.
The unknown weather further complicates matters, too. A grandstand's roof collapsed last year when a storm battered the track in Qualifying. Forecasts show a 50-50 chance of rain arriving on Saturday and Sunday for this year's event. A new surface combined with rain would create a slippery Sao Paulo circuit, so choosing the right Pirelli tyres for rapidly changing grip levels will be vital.
Leclerc and Sainz may head to Brazil thinking they have the momentum to win, but Norris spent the final laps in the USA and Mexico catching the scarlet cars. Norris' recent races have had Verstappen's pass-or-crash defence to contend with. If the British driver snatches the lead early in the Sao Paulo race, he has a high chance of winning and much-needed points.
You cannot completely rule Verstappen out, though. The reigning champion can extract more from a sub-par car than arguably anyone on the current grid, and the 2024 Red Bull is not the fastest on track. Despite this, Verstappen won the US GP Sprint and has two podium finishes from the past three grand prix Sundays — he's as much of a threat as ever.
There is bad news for any Lewis Hamilton or George Russell fans, though. The Silver Arrows have fallen back since their mid-season wins and looked alone between the leading three teams and the lower midfield since the summer break. Brazil might be where Russell took his first win, and Hamilton clinched his first title, but there looks a low possibility of either being highest on the podium on Sunday... unless rain helps them out.
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It's another weekend of evening viewing, though not as late as recent races. The Sao Paulo GP starts at 5 PM on Sunday, with Qualifying at 6 PM and the Sprint at 2 PM on Saturday.
Sprint – On air: 1 PM, Session start: 2 PM Saturday 2nd November
Qualifying – On air: 5 PM, Session start: 6 PM Saturday 2nd November
Race – On air: 3:30 PM, Session start: 5 PM Sunday 3rd November
Sprint & Qualifying – Highlights: 10:10 PM Saturday 2nd November, repaated 8 AM Sunday 3rd November
Race – Highlights: 10 PM Sunday 3rd November, repeated at 9:45 AM Monday 4th November
Sprint/Qualifying/Race – Forecasts for Sao Paulo predict a mix of sun and scattered showers over the weekend, with highs of around 24°C during Sunday's race, with a moderate chance of rain affecting the track on both Saturday and Sunday.