#1122 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix

On Sunday, November 3, 2024, the São Paulo Grand Prix, the twenty-first race of the Formula 1 World Championship, will be held at the Interlagos circuit in São Paulo, Brazil. After two victories in the United States and Mexico, Scuderia Ferrari aims to seal this American triple, which would give them further momentum in the Constructors' Championship. The team’s main goal is the Constructors' title: Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. no longer hide this, nor does Frédéric Vasseur. The Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari frames the Brazilian appointment, where the team has only secured one victory in the last fourteen editions, and which seems to favor McLaren in terms of characteristics. However, the improvements in the SF-24 have already proven to be effective on all types of circuits, which is why Ferrari cannot be excluded from the battle for victory.

 

"The group spread between Maranello and São Paulo must ensure that Charles and Carlos have a solid starting base in terms of balance and setup so that they can focus on driving. At Interlagos, the weather factor could also come into play, which makes it even more important for everyone to operate at the highest level of concentration to prepare for and take advantage of all scenarios. Morale is high, and we are in the spotlight; we need to keep working like this. Only later will we look at the standings. We have reached the final race of an American triple where we have maximized our package's potential so far. Interlagos will host the fifth Sprint weekend of the season, which means the whole team will need to put in a significant physical and mental effort. With this type of format, the efforts of the rest of the team from Maranello, which began even before leaving for Austin with simulator preparation and has never stopped during these three weeks between remote garage work and post-race analyses, will be more crucial than ever".

 

Mercedes is now out of contention for the Constructors' Championship and finds itself as a spectator in the battle for the two titles. The final races of the season will help the Brackley team prepare for the future and say goodbye to Lewis Hamilton in the best way possible, as he will be moving to Maranello after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The future Scuderia Ferrari driver does not want to focus on the ongoing championship battle, where McLaren leads Ferrari by 29 points in a strong comeback: as a professional, he will concentrate on Mercedes until the last Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. However, the English driver cannot help but be happily impressed by the growth of his future team.

 

"We don’t like not being in the championship fight, but we knew it would be difficult. I’m grateful for the results we’ve had, like at Silverstone, but I’m not looking at the battle between Ferrari and McLaren, although I’m very interested in what my future holds. I’m very impressed by Ferrari’s progress. At the start of the year, looking at China, the Red Bulls had a second advantage per lap. It’s been incredible to see McLaren first catch up and then Ferrari; I’m very encouraged by Scuderia’s progress. I keep an eye on all the cars".

 

The British driver then shares his expectations for the weekend.

 

"It’s been a turbulent year; the car sometimes takes steps back in performance and aerodynamics. I hope to repeat what I did in Mexico; there’s definitely potential, and I hope to exploit it on a track with renewed asphalt".

 

Max Verstappen arrives at Interlagos with a 47-point lead in the Drivers' Championship. This gap gives him peace of mind and the certainty of remaining at the top of the championship at least until the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but the Dutch driver sees ghosts everywhere: McLaren is undoubtedly superior, and Lando Norris can recover more points in Brazil, while the FIA intends to change the rules regarding battles to prevent the Red Bull Racing driver from exploiting his much-discussed defensive technique used in Austin. At least in words, though, Max Verstappen responds in his own way:

"My way of racing? These are things I've heard before in my career; it's my tenth year in Formula 1, and I think I know what I'm doing. The battle with Norris is as exciting as it was in 2021; all motivate you to give your best on track. The change in rules? I never feel like I’m alone against everyone, on or off the track".

 

A potential ally for Max Verstappen could be Scuderia Ferrari, which with its growth could take crucial points away from Lando Norris:

 

"It can be positive or negative for a driver to have more teams in the battle. It’s undoubtedly good for the show".

 

The Dutch driver also comments on the difficulties he faced during the Mexican Grand Prix:

 

"Missing the Friday session didn’t help, but we learned more about the tires and hope to improve. Every track has been different; here, there’s new asphalt, so there are some questions. Overall, we’ve lacked pace significantly on a track sensitive to tire wear. Here, we will be competitive on all compounds, but I don’t know if we’ll be better in qualifying or in the race. We still haven’t figured out the issues with our pace from the simulations. When you’re battling other teams and everything is so tight, you must maximize your potential: I would love to just win races, but when that’s not possible, you have to think differently".

 

Max Verstappen finally tries to keep his cards close regarding the engine front after Helmut Marko practically confirmed the replacement of his power unit, which will lead to a grid penalty:

 

"I haven’t heard anything yet; we haven’t discussed it. I know I’ll have to take one at some point; we’ll see when".

 

Whether or not to be in the spotlight for his unorthodox behavior on track doesn't concern Max Verstappen much. The World Champion has a 47-point lead over rival Lando Norris with four races (and two Sprint Races) still to go, and the only thing that truly matters is staying at the top of the standings even after the checkered flag at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Everything else is secondary, as the Dutch driver admits:

 

"Norris is a great driver, but I wouldn’t say there’s a major rival making my life hell. The cars are all too close together to say there’s a one-on-one battle. Every weekend is different; some cars perform better on certain tracks, others on different types of circuits. The same goes for the drivers".

 

The Red Bull Racing driver dismisses the notion that another opponent, such as Oscar Piastri, who is seen by many as mentally stronger, could make his life a bit harder:

 

"No, I always sleep soundly".

 

The title battle seems to be easing, given the lead in the standings, but the situation changes when considering the upcoming seasons. Max Verstappen, who does not seem to mind the arrival of historic rival Lewis Hamilton at Scuderia Ferrari, is in no rush to think about the future:

"I'm happy with how things are going and want to continue like this. I’m not thinking about changing teams, and speculation about it is unnecessary. I will decide, and I see no reason to change at the moment. The criterion for deciding will be performance... I want to drive the car with which I can compete to win Grands Prix and World Championships. But an important part is also the environment around you because you can’t enjoy yourself if you don’t identify with the team and its staff".

 

Speaking of staff, Helmut Marko’s presence plays a fundamental role:

 

"I owe a lot to Helmut. He entrusted me with a steering wheel in Formula 1 when I was a teenager, and we have built a strong relationship of trust and mutual respect. That’s why I don’t see him as one of my bosses, but more as part of my family. Christian and the others on the team? Of course, I’m loyal to them as well. I wouldn’t be where I am now if it weren’t for them. Over time, I’ve also built a relationship with all the staff and the Red Bull brand".

 

It’s also interesting to hear the final opinion on what Max Verstappen believes doesn’t make sense in the current Formula 1:

 

"The number of races; the calendar is too tight. Twenty-four Grands Prix is too much for everyone in the paddock. Seventeen or eighteen would be a better number".

 

In São Paulo, Christian Horner defends his driver. The Red Bull Racing team principal opposes interviews given by former driver Johnny Herbert, who was part of the stewards' panel that penalized the reigning World Champion by 20 seconds in Mexico:

 

"Verstappen? He has been attacked from all angles. In no other sport is there a referee who gives interviews about the decisions they make. I don’t think it’s fair for drivers to express their opinions about it either, but he (Verstappen) has a thick skin, and I’m sure he’ll want to respond strongly this weekend".

 

The English manager also discusses the market, denying that Red Bull Racing is trying to acquire Franco Colapinto from Williams:

 

"Colapinto? Franco is doing a great job, but we have Lawson, who is doing equally well, and we have many talents in the Red Bull Racing program. We keep an eye on all drivers, but we certainly don’t lack talented ones. Graining could be a factor. The asphalt is new and evolving. Winning will be difficult: Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes are fast. There’s also the possibility of rain: anything can happen".

 

The last two weeks of Formula 1 have intensified discussions regarding the title battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, who have engaged in fierce duels on track in both the United States and Mexico. The common denominator has been the attitude of both drivers (the Dutchman being aggressive while the Englishman is more composed), but the outcomes in the eyes of the stewards have been different. While in Texas, Max Verstappen’s defensive technique led to a 5-second penalty for Lando Norris, in Mexico, the Dutchman was penalized for forcing his rival off the track. A topic addressed by the British driver, who is starting to enjoy the recent duel with the reigning World Champion:

 

"Max has been great in the last two races. His defensive driving is hard to beat; he defends in a way that makes it difficult for the other driver to overtake. He’s also very consistent in his pace, so it’s important for me to learn how to deal with it. If you want to be a champion, you must be able to adapt your driving to the situation you find yourself in. We are competitors, but I don’t have any problems with him. It’s all part of racing. It’s only the beginning of a rivalry, and I enjoy it".

The McLaren driver emphasizes that the next rounds will be even more decisive, especially regarding the penalties that could be assigned, calling for more continuity from the stewards:

 

"We all know that different stewards can give different penalties, and we need to maintain consistency because this can change the course of a championship. I hope that for the next races, the decisions will be fairer for everyone".

 

On Friday, November 1, 2024, Lando Norris was the fastest in the only Free Practice session of the São Paulo Grand Prix. The British driver's time, achieved in the last moments of the session, was one second faster than the equivalent session in the 2023 season. Behind him were George Russell and Oliver Bearman, who is substituting for the unwell Kevin Magnussen at Haas. Max Verstappen chose to focus on his race preparations, not completing a true fast lap, despite setting interesting sector times in the first two sectors. The Scuderia Ferrari also used the Free Practice session to find the best setup for the Grand Prix. A few hours later, the first phase of Sprint Qualifying is dedicated to the use of Medium tires. Charles Leclerc sets a time of 1'11"654, while Carlos Sainz Jr. is 0.6 seconds behind his teammate. Shortly after, Pierre Gasly improves on Leclerc's time, but he is then surpassed by Alpine's other driver, Esteban Ocon, who clocks in at 1'11"520. The top of the standings then sees Sergio Pérez, Alex Albon, and George Russell, who posts a time of 1'10"870. Next, Lando Norris raises the bar to 1'10"672, but this record is quickly bettered by Liam Lawson, who sets a time of 1'10"576. Oscar Piastri then surpasses the New Zealander, recording a time of 1'10"265. Max Verstappen, however, can only manage fourth place. With rain threatening, the two Scuderia Ferrari drivers return to the track early: Charles Leclerc climbs the ranks to second place, while Carlos Sainz Jr. moves up to fourth. Shortly after, Max Verstappen advances to second, only to be passed again by Sergio Pérez. Both Red Bull Racing drivers are then overtaken again by Charles Leclerc. Oliver Bearman later sets the fifth-fastest time, placing ahead of Nico Hülkenberg. At the end of SQ1, Lando Norris achieves the overall best time with a 1'09"477, while Alex Albon is third and Franco Colapinto ninth. Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon, Yuki Tsunoda, Lance Stroll, and Guanyu Zhou are eliminated. 

 

In SQ2, the drivers opt to use Medium tires again. George Russell sets a time of 1'09"683. The benchmark set by the British driver, though not exceptional, is improved by Carlos Sainz Jr., but not by Charles Leclerc. Oscar Piastri then climbs to third, while Max Verstappen, who complains about his car's handling, is second. Sergio Pérez is eighth, before being surpassed by Alex Albon. Nico Hülkenberg sets the ninth-best time, just before Oliver Bearman climbs to fifth. George Russell cannot improve beyond sixth, while Liam Lawson is ninth. Pierre Gasly then records the eighth-best time, while Sergio Pérez is called into the pits, having no chance to advance due to his slowness. With just a few seconds left in SQ2, Oscar Piastri moves to second, while Charles Leclerc is third and Lewis Hamilton can only manage eleventh. Besides the English Mercedes driver, Nico Hülkenberg, Sergio Pérez, Franco Colapinto, and Valtteri Bottas do not advance to the final phase. SQ3 mandates the use of Soft tires. Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Alex Albon quickly hit the track to avoid the rain. The Australian driver sets a time of 1'09"225, but Lando Norris improves it with a lap of 1'08"928. Alex Albon is third with a time of 1'10"078. Shortly after, all drivers make a second attempt except for Alex Albon. Pierre Gasly climbs to third ahead of Oliver Bearman, who is then overtaken by Liam Lawson. Bearman's time is later invalidated for exceeding track limits at Turn 2. Carlos Sainz Jr. then moves to third, while Charles Leclerc manages to pass Oscar Piastri but not Lando Norris. As the McLaren drivers cross the finish line, the order changes: Oscar Piastri takes the top spot, while Lando Norris does not complete his lap. Max Verstappen finishes fourth, and George Russell is sixth. The McLaren team is the standout performer in the Sprint Qualifying of the São Paulo Grand Prix, securing the entire front row of the starting grid for the Sprint Race. After the first two sessions, which suggested a possible pole for Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri managed to surprise his teammate by turning in a time just 0.029 seconds faster. Oscar Piastri said after the qualifying session:

"It was a complicated session; I felt very comfortable at the beginning, and then the grip started to improve throughout the session. It's a bit difficult to understand which direction to take on these tracks, but I tried to put in a fast lap and I'm happy to have secured pole. My first lap wasn’t fantastic; I knew there were a few areas where I could improve. The second lap was good; the tires held up, and I'm very, very happy. I'm excited to start from pole; I'll definitely try to win, and then we'll see. It will be a very different Sprint from last year with the new asphalt, and we’ll also see how the temperatures and weather play out. I’ll start from the best position possible and will try to maintain it until the end".

 

Meanwhile, McLaren's Team Principal, Andrea Stella, commented on the team's excellent performance as they arrived in Brazil with a package of technical updates:

 

"To maximize points, we first need a fast car and two fast drivers. As we usually do, we will have a good discussion and see how to manage the situation if necessary. As always, in the simplest way possible, we will aim to maximize results for the team and the constructors' championship, and, without a doubt, support Lando in his pursuit of the drivers' title".

 

But the battle between McLaren Racing and Scuderia Ferrari continues in Brazil, with Charles Leclerc in third place ahead of Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr. While the final result seems favorable for the British team, which is looking to extend its lead in the Constructors' Championship and further close the gap to Max Verstappen in the Drivers' Championship. Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur analyzes this initial phase of the Brazilian weekend and tells the media:

 

"It's the best we could do today with the setup we had in this qualifying format. We will try to do better tomorrow for the actual qualifying, but it's also a good position for the sprint race. We won the last two races starting from the second row; I don't know if it's a good position, but at least we have the pace, and we have two cars in the top five. The circuit has been resurfaced, but it still has the most bumps, which means it’s a bit of a disaster in that sense. Everyone is struggling because of this, but McLaren has probably done a better job than us in this regard and has found a setup that ensures better drivability. We’ll wait for the weather forecasts for qualifying and the race; we must keep in mind that Sunday’s race is the most important in terms of points, so tire choice will be more about Sunday than Saturday. When you're in this position, you have to try to do your best. We know it will be a long battle until the end; we will have positive races and others that will likely be more difficult, but starting from the second row will probably be a good opportunity for us".

 

The Sprint Qualifying was certainly not positive for Aston Martin, who are at Interlagos with the floor used in Imola and both drivers eliminated in SQ1. Lewis Hamilton also had a performance to forget in the subsequent session; the honorary Brazilian citizen (who will drive the McLaren of his idol Ayrton Senna after practice) was just outside the fight for pole position by mere thousandths of a second. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez continues to struggle for results, again finishing outside the top ten, unlike Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson. Lando Norris had a disappointed look on his face after the Sprint Qualifying for the São Paulo Grand Prix. At Interlagos, the British driver was the favorite for pole position based on what emerged during FP1, SQ1, and SQ2, but, as mentioned, he was beaten by his teammate. Lando Norris made a mistake on his final attempt when he could not afford to make an error. He can take some comfort in the fourth place of Max Verstappen, which could be a problem if Oscar Piastri stays ahead in Turn 1.

 

"There was a big improvement compared to the start of the day. We were really struggling, and I was surprised by how fast we were, but it was obviously a positive surprise. Unfortunately, I messed up the last lap and came back in, but we did a good collective job. Verstappen’s fourth place? I don’t care about the qualifying of others; I just want to race and focus on my work. I don’t care if he’s first or last; I’ll do my best anyway. Tomorrow will be a different day; we definitely made good progress, and it was enough to be happy today, but we’ll see tomorrow".

Max Verstappen did not go beyond fourth place at the end of the Sprint Qualifying, behind Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc. The Dutch driver will have to serve a five-place grid penalty for the São Paulo Grand Prix due to the introduction of a new power unit, which allowed the Red Bull Racing driver to defend himself in the first sector. However, in the second and third sectors, Max Verstappen struggled with a Red Bull Racing car that is always adverse to bumps and rough asphalt.

 

"As soon as we arrived in qualifying, we seemed really far behind. Our car is a bit difficult on the bumps; they’ve resurfaced the track, but it feels worse to drive. It’s extremely bumpy everywhere, and that’s not good for our car because in those areas the car bounces a lot, and unfortunately, it loses time on the lap. As for tomorrow, I wouldn’t know. Usually, when you’re already a bit behind in qualifying, I don’t expect us to be particularly stronger in the race. We’ll see how tomorrow’s sprint goes; I hope the weather factor can shake things up, maybe not in the sprint. We’ll see; there’s going to be a lot of work to do regarding the penalty".

 

More could not be done. This is what the fans of Scuderia Ferrari think after the Sprint Qualifying, and it's also what Charles Leclerc thinks after securing third place on the starting grid for the Sprint Race. The Monegasque driver was just 0.25 seconds away from Oscar Piastri's pole position time and, importantly, never seemed capable of competing for the front row, even when he was in second place just a few seconds before the end of SQ3. It's therefore understandable that Charles Leclerc feels both satisfied with his performance and concerned about McLaren's superiority, which - if confirmed throughout the weekend - could have a significant impact on the Constructors' Championship standings.

 

"I'm happy because we achieved the best possible result, but I don't think there was any margin for improvement. McLaren was really fast today, while we are a bit behind this weekend: it will be important to score as many points as possible".

 

After strong performances in the Sprint Race at the United States Grand Prix and the Mexican Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz Jr. is back behind Charles Leclerc. The Spanish driver finished the Sprint Qualifying in fifth place, just 0.038 seconds behind the time set by Max Verstappen.

 

"I think a lot will happen in the Sprint; there will be many unknowns, and it should be fun. I will try to have a good race from my starting position, and for the rest of the day, I will aim to qualify better and start further up in the Grand Prix".

 

The weekend of the São Paulo Grand Prix didn’t start off well for Lewis Hamilton, at least in terms of the results on the track during the Sprint Qualifying at the Interlagos circuit. The British driver failed to qualify in the top ten by just 0.097 seconds, finishing P11.

 

"It was a tough day for me, despite the incredible support from the fans here in Brazil. I believe that driving on the bumpy track was quite challenging for everyone and made FP1 very demanding inside the car. We raised the car during the break and improved the situation, but the pace wasn’t there when it came time to set competitive laps. The balance is on a knife-edge; the car is very difficult to drive, and I couldn’t attack any of the corners like I wanted to. I hope to recover from P11 during the Sprint and continue working on finding the right balance for qualifying tomorrow afternoon".

 

The final result was undoubtedly more positive for George Russell, who secured his first Formula 1 victory in Brazil in 2022. Advancing to SQ3, the British driver still couldn’t secure a top-5 finish, concluding the Sprint Qualifying in sixth place behind Max Verstappen:

"It was a challenging session, as the track cooled down during the Sprint Qualifying. The P6 position reflects our current standing, at the back of the leading group of teams and with a delta to the next group behind us. I enjoy the challenge of Sprint weekends; it’s great to jump straight into the action, and today also presented the somewhat unexpected challenge of a very bumpy track, which of course affects everyone equally. For tomorrow, I’ll look to move forward and use the Sprint to understand where we can improve the car for qualifying and the Grand Prix on Sunday".

 

Oliver Bearman is undoubtedly a lucky driver, as he is competing in his third race of the season in Formula 1 at three different moments, despite being just a reserve driver: a rarity that is hard to repeat. However, the English driver is also proving to be more than capable: Ollie, as everyone in the paddock calls him, managed to bring his Haas into SQ3, beating experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg and confirming himself as one of the standout performers on Friday of the São Paulo Grand Prix. After the Sprint Qualifying, the young British talent shares a behind-the-scenes story about his surprise call from Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, who woke him up at dawn to inform him that he would be driving Kevin Magnussen's car:

 

"Ayao woke me up in the morning around six-thirty with his call. When I saw his name, I wasn't too angry. But if it had been my mom or someone who didn’t consider the time zone, I would have been furious! Of course, I want to wish Kevin well, as I know he hasn’t been feeling great and he has had great success on this track in the past, having secured a pole position. I’m also very happy to be back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, which is always a pleasure. The car felt really fast all day, and honestly, from the first lap in FP1, the driving feeling was fantastic. I'm very happy to have made it into SQ3 and finally reached the final stage of a qualifying session. Unfortunately, I made a small mistake in the first sector that cost me a lot of time. The rest of the lap was very, very good, which is why I'm a bit disappointed".

 

On Saturday, November 2, 2024, at the start of the Sprint Race, Oscar Piastri gets off to a good start, maintaining the lead position. Max Verstappen tries to overtake Charles Leclerc but is unsuccessful. In the opening laps, however, the Monegasque driver closes in on the two McLaren drivers. Oscar Piastri, in turn, provides Lando Norris with the slipstream and thus the use of DRS. On lap 13, an error by Charles Leclerc allows Max Verstappen to get closer. Up front, Lando Norris asks his team if Oscar Piastri can let him take the lead. Only on lap 18 does Max Verstappen manage to pass Charles Leclerc. On lap 21, Nico Hülkenberg stops by the side of the track due to a technical failure. To preempt the Safety Car's entry, which would make position swapping impossible, McLaren allows Lando Norris to move into first place. Shortly afterward, race control imposes a Virtual Safety Car. On the restart, Max Verstappen attempts an overtake on Oscar Piastri but remains in third place. A double win for the McLaren team in the Sprint Race of the São Paulo Grand Prix and the first real team order of the season issued by the English team's management: after a race spent always in the lead from the start, Oscar Piastri accepted to relinquish the first position to teammate Lando Norris, allowing him to gain two points on Max Verstappen, who finished third.

 

"Sprint victory? I’m not very proud of it. I have to thank Oscar; we did a great job as a team. This is the result we wanted. Oscar deserved the win, but we did what we had to do. I thank him and the team; we have a great pace: I’m optimistic for qualifying and the Grand Prix tomorrow. Passing Oscar on track? It was tough; there was a yo-yo effect. The dirty air slowed me down. I felt faster, but at that moment, I couldn’t pass. We were clearly faster than those behind, and we executed everything well".

 

Oscar Piastri commented after the Sprint Race:

"The race was complicated: the track has many bumps, as we know, and the racing line was very narrow. Just going slightly wide would get you in trouble. But it was a great day for the team: we scored many points and can do well tomorrow. I’m happy. I’m optimistic for tomorrow; the pace was good. But Ferrari was strong at the start, and Max was fast towards the end. We have a few things we want to improve, but it’s a promising situation for us".

 

While waiting to see what the race stewards decide regarding a suspected infraction during the Virtual Safety Car, Max Verstappen can currently enjoy a good third place finish in the Sprint Race, behind only the two unbeatable English cars. The Dutch Red Bull driver—if this is confirmed as the final race result—loses only two points to Lando Norris, the winner of the short São Paulo race, thanks to the kind gesture from Oscar Piastri.

 

"At McLaren, they tried to take advantage of the DRS effect as much as possible, but I knew sooner or later they would switch positions. For me, it was a positive race: I stayed in the DRS train, so I had to wait for them to lose pace or make a mistake to try to pass. Charles made a mistake, and I could attempt the overtake, which worked. With clean air in front, I tried to close the gap to the McLaren, but it was too late. Then the VSC ended my race. Better than expected Sprint? Do I expect a penalty? I don’t know; we need to understand what happened".

 

Charles Leclerc finished fourth in the Sprint Race. The Monegasque driver, who started third, was passed by the reigning World Champion after briefly thinking he could slot in between the two McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. However, towards the end of the Sprint Race, his tires could not hold up and performance dropped, forcing the Ferrari driver to settle for a fourth-place finish that does not meet expectations but serves as a useful reference for the second half of the weekend.

 

"Managing lift and coast is difficult with our car. I saw it last weekend, and I had already seen it in Austin. We need to work on this. Overall, the race was tough: I tried to pressure Lando at the start, but in the end, it was very difficult to drive the car because I had no rear tires left. There were many mistakes due to high degradation. This was my choice: we made a mistake, but we lost only one point compared to what we could ideally have done, and I learned a lot for tomorrow. Setup changes? Definitely for the race".

 

Never captured by the cameras, never in a position to attack or defend: Carlos Sainz Jr.’s Sprint Race was marked by anonymity. Starting fifth, the Spanish driver maintained his position until the checkered flag, leading him to think about the need for improvements on the SF-24 to replicate the performances seen in Austin and Mexico City.

 

"It was a really tough Sprint for me; I made many mistakes early on that cost me a lot of time, the track was very slippery. Here, when you go off the line, you pick up a lot of dirt on the tires. It’s clear that we are not at the level of McLaren right now; we need to do something to improve the car if we want to be more competitive".

 

As expected, McLaren has abandoned the papaya rules to favor Lando Norris. To give the British driver the best chance of competing for the Drivers' Championship, the Woking team ordered a position swap between the two drivers. The maneuver took place at the last possible moment (on the straight after the S do Senna when there were yellow flags in Sector 2). Shortly after, race control deployed the Virtual Safety Car, a regime in which overtaking is not allowed. But could McLaren not have ordered the position swap earlier to avoid this risk? According to McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella, it would have been very risky.

"We wanted to swap positions, but we were waiting for the right gap to develop between Lando and the third-place driver, let’s say two seconds, because if we had made the swap and the third driver had entered the DRS zone, it would have compromised the maximum result for the team. We were waiting for the right opportunity; it wasn't entirely comfortable to 'expose' Piastri to Leclerc, who at the start of the race didn’t seem slow at all. We knew we had time to swap, and as soon as we saw the risk of a Safety Car, we had to accelerate the process. It’s natural to make life difficult for ourselves because when you have two drivers who can win races and a car that can win races, the first thing you have to accept is that there is no easy solution, and you have to face some difficulties. I always discuss with the drivers and say this is the hardest thing we will face in our careers because it’s the only thing we can’t tackle by exactly aligning our interests".

 

A few hours later, the news arrives: Max Verstappen loses third place. The three-time World Champion is penalized with a 5-second penalty for not respecting the 0.63-second delta time during the Virtual Safety Car, thus dropping to fourth position behind Charles Leclerc. According to the stewards, the World Champion violated Article 56.5 of the sporting regulations, which states that all cars must stay above the minimum time when the panels change color to green. Max Verstappen, in short, went too fast during the Virtual Safety Car in an attempt to gain as much time as possible on Oscar Piastri and also secure second place once the VSC ended. The Red Bull Racing driver admits that he realized his mistake but didn’t rectify it in time: thus, the Dutch driver loses another point in the Drivers' Championship, and his lead over Lando Norris now drops to 44 points. The heavy rain that fell on Saturday afternoon in Interlagos, along with the bleak forecasts for Sunday, led the organizers to first postpone qualifying and then completely overhaul the Sunday schedule for the São Paulo Grand Prix. The official communication from the FIA sets qualifying for 7:30 a.m. local time, while the race will take place at 12:30 p.m.. These unusual and particularly early times are aimed at avoiding the severe weather expected in the afternoon in São Paulo, presenting a new challenge for the teams. Due to the climatic conditions in São Paulo, the decision was made not to proceed with qualifying because of poor visibility, standing water on the track, and diminishing daylight. Safety is always the primary consideration in such circumstances, and although the maximum possible time was given for conditions to improve, unfortunately, this did not happen.

 

"We have a huge appreciation for all the fans who remained at the circuit in the hope of seeing the cars on track today. Therefore, after consulting with the stewards, the decision was made to schedule qualifying for 7:30 a.m. local time on Sunday morning before the Grand Prix at 12:30 p.m. local time. This will maximize the chances of providing fans with a day of racing action, given the ongoing weather forecasts for tomorrow afternoon, and both the FIA and Formula 1 believe this time change is necessary and the right thing to do for all our passionate fans. We thank everyone for their patience shown today: fans, drivers, teams, race officials, circuit staff, and media. We hope to deliver an exciting event for everyone on Sunday".

 

A few hours later, before the start of qualifying, race control informs all teams that they are permitted to close their respective garages due to adverse weather conditions. A few minutes later, due to persistent rain and lack of visibility, the qualifying session is postponed to the following morning at 7:30 a.m.. A handshake, a hug, and many smiles. This is how Lewis Hamilton welcomes Liberty Media CEO Stefano Domenicali just moments after the decision to postpone the Grand Prix qualifying to Sunday morning due to the deluge that has literally flooded Interlagos. While the Italian manager gives an interview in front of the Mercedes team garage, the seven-time World Champion seizes the opportunity for a brief greeting. On this occasion, he makes a quip about what happens - or rather, what doesn’t happen - when the track is wet.

 

"I wanted to get on the track! Give us better wet tires and tire blankets, and then we’ll be able to race in these conditions".

This is a clear reference to the fact that Pirelli’s Full Wet tires, introduced in 2023, are designed specifically to reach optimal temperature without the use of tire blankets. Beyond the choice to develop a new extreme wet compound - linked to environmental concerns and energy savings - the Cinturato tires with the blue band on the side are rarely used on track, not solely due to temperature issues. Did you know that tire performance can significantly affect the aerodynamics of a car? The right tire choice not only influences grip but can also enhance overall downforce, leading to better handling on track. On Sunday, November 3, 2024, right at the start of the qualifying session, the track is damp, so drivers opt for Full Wet tires. The potential for further rainfall pushes all drivers to hit the track early. After Alexander Albon, Lando Norris sets the best time, only to be beaten by Esteban Ocon, who clocks in at 1'30"096. The session proves challenging: many drivers make mistakes, forcing the marshals to frequently display yellow flags. Fernando Alonso moves up to second place, ahead of Max Verstappen; shortly after, Yuki Tsunoda and then Sergio Pérez slot in between the two. A little later, Carlos Sainz Jr. moves ahead of the World Champion. Esteban Ocon improves again, recording a 1'29"916. Meanwhile, track conditions improve, prompting Valtteri Bottas to be the first driver to gamble on Intermediate tires. However, his time is deleted due to exceeding track limits. Lance Stroll also goes off track, nearly ending up in the gravel. Meanwhile, Sergio Pérez rises to second place, before Yuki Tsunoda takes the lead with a time of 1'29"172. Just after Charles Leclerc sets the second-fastest time, the session is halted due to an incident involving Franco Colapinto. When the session resumes, the rain has intensified, and the idea of using Intermediates is abandoned. Lando Norris improves his time but doesn’t go beyond eleventh place; shortly after, his time is deleted for exceeding track limits. Pierre Gasly is ninth, while Oscar Piastri is fifth, ahead of both Aston Martins. Soon after, Alex Albon moves up to seventh, while Lewis Hamilton is at risk of elimination. George Russell makes an error, rejoining the track and nearly colliding with Alex Albon. On his next lap, the British driver climbs to second place. Max Verstappen advances to fifth, but his time is annulled for exceeding track limits, dropping him back to twelfth position. Meanwhile, Nico Hülkenberg spins, and Lewis Hamilton rises to fourteenth, pushing Lando Norris out of the top fifteen. 

 

Shortly after, Alex Albon takes first place, ahead of George Russell. Lando Norris sets the fourteenth-best time but falls to fifteenth after Liam Lawson’s arrival. At the end of the session, Max Verstappen manages to set the best time. Failing to advance are Lewis Hamilton, Oliver Bearman, Franco Colapinto, Nico Hülkenberg, and Guanyu Zhou. In Q2, Oscar Piastri uses Intermediate tires to provide feedback to Lando Norris. Carlos Sainz Jr. completes his first lap in 1'29"406, a benchmark soon beaten by Charles Leclerc. Shortly after, George Russell slots in between the two Scuderia Ferrari drivers on the leaderboard. Lance Stroll also manages to move ahead of the Spanish driver, who is then surpassed by Valtteri Bottas with a time of 1'29"055. Soon after, Sergio Pérez clocks in at 1'28"158, while Max Verstappen does even better with a 1'27"771, indicating that track conditions may soon favor the use of Intermediate tires. As the track improves, Oscar Piastri completes his lap first in 1'27"141, then improves to 1'25"179. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson moves up to third place, but George Russell bests him, setting the second-fastest time. Due to an incident involving Carlos Sainz Jr. at Turn 2, the session is once again halted, with less than six minutes remaining. His car, which collided with the barriers, sustains rear-end damage. Before the interruption, Lance Stroll had managed to secure the third-fastest time, while Lando Norris was in eleventh place. When Q2 resumes, rain starts to dampen the track again, and meteorologists predict increased rainfall. Lando Norris is the first to return to the track, setting the third-fastest time. Yuki Tsunoda moves into fourth, ahead of Alex Albon. Fernando Alonso then climbs into first place, while Valtteri Bottas slots into sixth. Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon also enter the top positions, with Lando Norris setting the new benchmark at 1'24"844 just before the session is interrupted again, with a red flag due to an incident involving Lance Stroll at Turn 3. This effectively brings Q2 to an end. Max Verstappen, positioned only twelfth, fails to advance to the final phase and is already penalized. Along with the Red Bull Racing driver, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Pierre Gasly do not make it to Q3. In Q3, Esteban Ocon is the first to take to the track; however, his benchmark time in the Alpine is soon surpassed by Oscar Piastri, who clocks in at 1'26"099. 

Shortly after, Lando Norris sets a time of 1'25"631, moving into first place. Yuki Tsunoda initially takes second place, followed by Charles Leclerc and then George Russell. Esteban Ocon later secures the lead with a time of 1'25"085. Soon after, the top spot changes hands quickly between Oscar Piastri, Alex Albon, and once again Lando Norris, who sets a time of 1'24"158. The session is interrupted again as Fernando Alonso suffers an accident at the penultimate corner. Regulations require at least a four-hour gap between qualifying and the race, but the FIA confirms an exception due to the schedule adjustments. When the session resumes, George Russell makes several mistakes during his first flying lap, while Yuki Tsunoda’s error affects his teammate Liam Lawson’s lap. Shortly after, Alex Albon crashes as well, forcing yet another red flag. His Williams is destroyed, though he is unharmed, despite some wrist pain. After the session resumes, Esteban Ocon is the first back on track, but he remains in fourth place. Lando Norris then improves his time to 1'24"092, while Oscar Piastri fails to better his own time and almost goes off-track. Soon after, Liam Lawson and then Yuki Tsunoda move up to second place, while Esteban Ocon returns to third. In the final moments of Q3, Lando Norris improves his time once again, while Oscar Piastri, unable to improve, remains in eighth. Just before Q3 ends, George Russell moves up to second, right behind Lando Norris. 

 

In a completely revised schedule due to bad weather, with the São Paulo Grand Prix qualifying postponed and the race brought forward, the battle for pole position brought surprises from the very beginning. In challenging track conditions, with red flags displayed for the first time following Franco Colapinto's crash into the barriers, Lewis Hamilton made another misstep, failing to advance to Q2, finishing in P16 and cursing his Mercedes. Lando Norris was also close to elimination, unlike in Q2. However, this session also featured twists at the expense of the top teams, with two interruptions due to other incidents: the first was Carlos Sainz Jr.'s crash, which eliminated him, but more importantly, Lance Stroll's crash denied Max Verstappen the chance to improve his time and qualify for Q3. Considering the five-position grid penalty that the Dutch driver must serve in the race due to a Power Unit change, the reigning World Champion will start from P17. There was another interruption for a new red flag in Q3, this time due to Fernando Alonso's crash into the barriers, but shortly after the restart, with three minutes remaining, the fifth and final stoppage occurred due to the incident involving the second Williams of Alex Albon at the entrance of Turn 1. Lando Norris thus claimed pole position ahead of George Russell and the surprising Yuki Tsunoda. Charles Leclerc finished only sixth. The McLaren driver commented after qualifying:

 

"A lot happened today, but I’m extremely happy because I struggled a lot at the start of qualifying and had to work hard, so I was definitely not comfortable. Ending up on pole took a lot of effort during qualifying; I made a lot of mistakes and had to improve, but I managed to do it. I’m surprised; I find myself surprised often lately, even with this pole. I had some good laps at the end, and it’s a good result for us. In these conditions, you always try to find something extra, but you see other drivers going off track, locking up, or damaging their cars, so it’s very easy for things to go wrong. You could end up against the wall, or something could happen that eliminates you from the race. It wasn’t easy to take risks because there was no guarantee it would pay off. Especially in Q1, I made some mistakes, so I had to change my approach, and I’m happy after all the difficulties we faced. Now I look ahead; I’ll also have very fast drivers close to me like George, who did a great lap, as well as Yuki, and it’s never easy in these conditions. You just have to adapt, but that’s not always the simplest thing. We’ll try to have a good race, get a good start, and then see how we can maximize our performance".

 

George Russell, surprisingly in second place, said:

 

"I’m always happy to be back in São Paulo because I have great memories here. Yesterday was tough waiting for so long, and it was crazy to arrive at the track at 6:00 a.m. and see all the fans queuing, so I’m very happy with this second place. It reminds me a bit of my karting days, waking up early to put on the suit and drive. We should rethink the format because it could be the right one with qualifying on Sunday morning; that said, it was a beautiful session, and we’ll see what we can do in the race".

A surprising Yuki Tsunoda, third with the Racing Bulls, admitted:

 

"I had a lot of fun, but it was also complicated. I think we had a good pace from the start, then I made a couple of mistakes but also had some luck. Overall, as a team, I believe we did a great job. This track is one of the most challenging; once you have more confidence and try to push a bit more, you risk a big crash. There were some good scares for everyone today, but it’s also one of those tracks where it’s great to get the lap right. Yesterday I felt a bit worse, while today the car had good pace in the rain, and it’s a good start for us today. With Liam in fourth, we’ll try to close the gap to the Astons, and this is the moment we need to seize our opportunities. We’ll aim to score as many points as possible".

 

Fists on the steering wheel, a quick pit entry, and then a first outburst away from the cameras. Max Verstappen, after being eliminated in Q2, has something to say about everyone: Formula 1, his team, and even luck, which hasn’t exactly served him favorable scenarios in recent days. The World Champion will start from P17 due to his P12 qualifying position after Lance Stroll's incident at the S do Senna, which ended Q2 just as the Dutch driver was outside the top ten, not to mention the five-place grid penalty for replacing his engine. At the moment Lance Stroll hit the wall, the Red Bull Racing driver was in tenth place, thus qualifying for Q3. Moments after the Canadian driver’s crash, Charles Leclerc knocked Max Verstappen out of the top ten, followed by Liam Lawson. Even if the officials had immediately displayed the red flag, the Dutch driver would still have been eliminated, but he is not at peace:

 

"If a car crashes, there should be an immediate red flag. I don’t understand why it takes 30 or 40 seconds to put out a red flag; it’s ridiculous. We went out at the end, and everyone else got ahead of us. That’s how it went, then one car crashed, and those behind got a red flag while everyone else finished their laps. I find it incredible that this is possible. What kind of race can I imagine? I have no idea".

 

For the second time in the last three qualifying sessions, Lewis Hamilton is eliminated in Q1. After what happened in Austin, the seven-time World Champion is also knocked out in Interlagos: on the wet track, Lewis Hamilton fails to find the right lap. A crucial mistake at Subida do Lago during the last time attack on Full Wet tires proves fatal for the Mercedes driver, but he struggled throughout Q1, to the point that if the weather conditions had worsened after the red flag for Franco Colapinto’s incident, Lewis Hamilton would have started from last position. The frustration of the English driver is expressed in just a few but effective words:

 

"This damned car, guys… I have no grip at the rear".

 

On Sunday, November 3, 2024, the São Paulo Grand Prix is scheduled to be held at 2:00 p.m., but is moved to 12:30 p.m. due to the weather forecast. The race is set to run for 71 laps before being shortened by two laps due to an aborted start procedure. The race takes place in rainy conditions on a wet track, following the qualifying session. All cars use intermediate or wet tyres. Since Alexander Albon does not start the race, his grid slot is left vacant. There is confusion on the formation lap as Lance Stroll of Aston Martin spins, makes contact with the wall, and then beaches himself in a nearby gravel trap, meaning he does not start the race. Together with Albon's absence and Sainz starting from the pit lane, this leaves three slots on the starting grid vacant. The race director therefore displays the aborted start message. However, polesitter Lando Norris, Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, and George Russell incorrectly assume that the race director signals an extra formation lap will take place, and all four drivers are eventually placed under investigation for a start procedure infringement. Separately, both Mercedes drivers Russell and Hamilton are under investigation due to Mercedes changing the tyre pressures of both cars with the wheels still on the car. Ultimately, fines are issued for Russell, Norris, and the Mercedes team. The second formation lap begins thirty minutes after the first. At the race start, Russell passes Norris off the line.

After starting from the seventeenth grid slot, albeit fourteenth in the actual order, Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing recovers eleven places by lap 12, reaching up to sixth. On lap 27, Nico Hülkenberg of Haas spins off at the first corner. He is helped back onto the track by marshals, and three laps later, he is shown the black flag, disqualifying him from the race. This marks the first time since the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix that a driver is black flagged during a race. Hülkenberg's incident triggers a virtual safety car on lap 28, and Norris and Russell pit in response, allowing Esteban Ocon, Verstappen, and Pierre Gasly to move ahead, with Ocon inheriting the lead from Russell. On lap 32, Franco Colapinto crashes his Williams heavily on the pit straight, bringing out the red flag and delaying the session further. After the restart, Ocon retains the lead until Carlos Sainz Jr. crashes on lap 39, bringing out the safety car. On the next restart, Verstappen quickly passes Ocon to assume the lead that he ultimately maintains. His title rival Norris falls to seventh place after the restart after locking up into turn 1. While teammate Oscar Piastri gives him sixth place, he makes no further progress for the rest of the race. He waited ten races to win again, but for Max Verstappen, it was worth it. A lucky triumph for the three-time World Champion, who beat everyone at Interlagos despite starting from P17, something that has happened only five other times in Formula 1 history. A victory that smells of a World Championship title, as the Dutch driver now has a 62-point lead over Lando Norris. He’ll need only 24 more points by the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to secure the World Championship, but he might need even fewer.

 

"Today was an emotional rollercoaster. I started in P17, and I knew it was going to be tough. But we stayed out of trouble, made the right decisions, stayed calm, and then we were flying. All these things combined made the result possible. Winning here, starting so far back, is incredible. With the new asphalt, you can only take one line if you want to overtake. I knew I had to attack there. I tried to find the right balance, had confidence in the brakes, and Turn 1 here is always a nice turn to overtake. I hope the fans enjoyed it. This was probably the best comeback of my career, a bit like my 2016 race here. I didn’t win back then, but I had a very good pace; today was just a crazy day. I was really angry this morning after qualifying; what happened was very frustrating, but it motivated me even more before the race and even surprised me. In these conditions, I feel good; it’s what I like, and the car also gives me the confidence to push. The car was doing exactly what I wanted, and when you have that combination, as we did last year in many races, we’re unstoppable. It’s a very positive result for us, and I hope that from now on we can stay out of trouble. If I’d had a bad race, maybe I would’ve commented more on the FIA’s decisions, but now I think it’s better not to talk about it".

 

Before the start of the FIA press conference, following the podium ceremony at the end of the São Paulo Grand Prix, Max Verstappen takes a moment to respond to various opinions shared by former British drivers (including Damon Hill) in recent weeks regarding his on-track maneuvers against Lando Norris:

 

"I really appreciate that you’re here, but I don’t see anyone from the British press. Maybe they’re all at the airport, or maybe they didn’t know there would be a press conference".

 

The Dutch driver’s provocative words come after weeks of being in the media spotlight - not simply because of his wrong passport, that is, being Dutch in a Circus managed and largely made up of British figures. For his part, Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner commented on the performance of the Dutch driver at the end of the race, also offering encouraging words for Sergio Perez:

 

"Verstappen was masterful; in these conditions, the true value of the driver shines through, and he was in a league of his own. As a team, we made all the right strategic choices, and the car had great pace. After qualifying, we would have signed up for a top-5 finish. An incredible performance, one of Max’s best. Perez also drove well this weekend and was simply unlucky in some incidents during the race. The team has shown that we will never give up; we will carry this enthusiasm into the final triple-header of the season".

Esteban Ocon is increasingly close to leaving the Alpine team, with which the French driver has collected four podiums in Formula 1 since 2020, the year when the team was still called Renault. This story reached its peak at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, when the French driver unexpectedly claimed his first and so far only victory in the Circus. This achievement seemed within reach again at the recent chaotic São Paulo Grand Prix, where he finished in second place after qualifying fourth. It was an entire Sunday under the rain that highlighted all of Esteban Ocon's qualities, with the dream of another victory just a Safety Car away. This podium return was Ocon's first since the Monaco Grand Prix last year, and it marked his first top-ten finish since the Belgian Grand Prix earlier this year.

 

"It was an incredible day. Before qualifying fourth, it was amazing to see the possibility of being competitive, which was the biggest surprise. We never thought we could fight with the cars in front, but today, with the changing weather and varying intensity of the rain, we saw that it was possible. That was nice and special, especially after some races where we had more difficulties than usual. Podium? I wouldn’t have hoped for it. Driving here is really great. Having performance balanced by the rain was important for us. In the wet, the cars are almost all equal, and we showed that today. Being on the podium is fantastic, and the support I get here in Brazil is incredible. I want to thank all the fans. Special setup? No. The car was extremely difficult in dry conditions, but once it started raining, I felt more comfortable. I really wanted to do laps in the wet; when it rains here, it’s always special".

 

While the future Haas driver finished qualifying in the second row of the starting grid and maintained the lead until Max Verstappen returned, Pierre Gasly also executed a complex comeback in varying rain conditions, perfectly leveraging the team’s work and returning to the podium for the first time since the Dutch Grand Prix last year, where he also finished third with Alpine, praised by Flavio Briatore:

 

"Incredible result for the whole team; it’s been a tough season. We’ve struggled to score points, but in these conditions, anything was possible. No one believed it until the end: having two cars on the podium was probably impossible for anyone to imagine. Yesterday, our pace wasn’t bad even on the dry track. This morning, we had a terrible qualifying, started 13th, but managed to gain 10 positions. I’m proud of the team; we had to overcome so many difficulties and a very tough season. We never gave up, and now we’re here with two cars. It’s amazing".

 

Before the São Paulo Grand Prix, Alpine was ninth in the Constructors' Championship standings. After the checkered flag, they moved up to sixth, thanks to the double podium finishes of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. Flavio Briatore, who was brought in to address the French team’s issues, is of course celebrating this extraordinary result, highlighting what he has done since being appointed as an advisor:

 

"Today, we also had a bit of luck and an exceptional Ocon in the rain; only Verstappen beat him. Gasly did his job; let’s say that the car performs much better in the wet than in the dry. Our car is built for the rain, but I don’t think the next three Grand Prix races will be wet. This year, we’ve done some house cleaning - like spring cleaning. We’re clearing everything out and took one step forward with updates, but only to avoid disrupting the 2025 car. I only authorized this update, and it worked well because, unlike many teams who go backward when they make an improvement, we went forward. Kudos to the engineers and everyone else. We need to get back to having people who work for a racing team, not a corporation, so we’ve put things back where they should be. The team based in Enstone is now completely independent, so we’ve returned to the way things were with Renault in the past. Only the Formula 1 engineers remain, and everyone else who needed to leave has left. When we arrived, there were 1.150 people; now there are 850. The risk always depends on the strength of the team, so when you’re competitive, it’s easier to take risks. Today, we thought a red flag might come, so we stayed out, but we were very competitive. If we had been in the middle of the pack, nothing would have changed. The drivers did an excellent job today; there’s nothing to criticize. You can see that even with drivers who were praised as stars just three days ago, experience counts for a lot in Formula 1". 

And he adds:

 

"In the rain, the discussion about engine power is nullified, so in 2025, we’ll still need to make up these missing 0.3 seconds by building a better car. We don’t need to beat ourselves up; we know that’s how it is, and we’ll have to work hard by focusing on aerodynamics and tire studies without feeling sorry for ourselves".

 

There’s a saying in sports that those who don’t win, explain. Today, it’s Lando Norris’s turn to explain the reasons for a bitter defeat in the São Paulo Grand Prix. The McLaren driver started from pole position but finished in sixth place, while his title rival, Max Verstappen, started in P17 and won. However, Lando Norris opposes the narrative of the Dutch driver’s achievement and instead focuses on the race’s neutralization caused by Franco Colapinto’s crash during the Safety Car, which allowed those who hadn’t pitted to switch from Intermediate to other tires to gain positions. This is how Max Verstappen, who had already climbed up to fourth, managed to get ahead of Lando Norris.

 

"Verstappen? He drove well and was lucky. I trusted the team and what they said; I trust them. This is luck for them [Red Bull]. They were lucky. They benefited from a rule that nobody likes. None of us drivers agree with it, but maybe they do now".

 

The reference is to the possibility of changing tires under a red flag, a possibility that has often caused strategic shake-ups in recent Grand Prix.

 

"Sometimes things go one way, sometimes another; with the red flag, pit stops were free. George [Russell] would have deserved to win the race. The final result? It’s a gamble that paid off, not talent, just luck".

 

At the end of a crazy Grand Prix in many respects, Scuderia Ferrari is only half happy: the retirement of Carlos Sainz Jr. is a heavy blow, but Charles Leclerc’s fifth place still allows the Maranello team to recover a point on McLaren in the Constructors' Championship, following Lando Norris’s disappointing sixth place and the penalty inflicted on Oscar Piastri, who was relegated to tenth position.

 

"On one side of the garage, we certainly wanted to score points with Carlos, but on the other, with Charles, the timing of the first pit stop wasn’t optimal, although it didn’t change the final outcome too much. We were probably expecting different weather, and tire pressure was very difficult. You could see this with McLaren too: they were much faster at the beginning of the first stint and slower at the end. We had to make choices that didn’t go in our favor, but in terms of the championship, this weekend wasn’t a disaster, considering yesterday’s race. We’re coming back stronger for Las Vegas".

 

Continuing his analysis, Vasseur highlights the significant performance swings that occurred during the race for Ferrari and other teams:

 

"At the last restart, we were 0.6-0.7 seconds slower than Lando, while we were probably 6-7 tenths faster than him at the end of the stint. But it was very difficult to predict the number of laps possible before the next rain shower. We had to make some gambles, and luck wasn’t on our side today, but the most important thing is that we understand what we’re doing. After these three races, I’m happy; I think we’re the team that scored the most points, and that’s positive for Ferrari. We know that in Las Vegas, we’ll likely have better pace than this weekend, and that’s where we need to score a lot of points. Constructors' Championship? It’ll go on until Abu Dhabi, with a great battle among the top four teams, and today Alpine was also in the mix".

And he adds:

 

"I want to congratulate them because they’ve had a tough season, and achieving a result like this in these conditions is really crucial. The issue of moisture in the tires? I don’t understand it, and I want to stay out of it. We need to focus on ourselves to keep developing and pushing to do our best".

 

After the euphoria of victories in the United States and Mexico, Scuderia Ferrari had to settle for Charles Leclerc's fifth place. However, in terms of the standings, the fact that the Monegasque driver finished ahead of both McLarens allowed the Maranello team to limit the damage, losing only a few points in the Constructors' World Championship (5 in the Sprint Race and 2 in the Grand Prix), remaining fully in the hunt for the title.

 

"Today, the pace simply wasn’t there, except maybe in qualifying. I believe we weren't that bad in qualifying with new tires and low fuel, but during the race we went nowhere. More than not being competitive, the problem was that the car was very difficult to drive. It was extremely complex not to make mistakes, and in the end, looking at the overall picture, the only thing we can be a bit satisfied with is that we finished ahead of the two McLarens and lost only a few points. We managed to limit the damage very well in a weekend where they seemed very strong".

 

Charles Leclerc elaborates on what went wrong with the setup of his car:

 

"I think our cars were harder to drive compared to some others. That’s definitely the case, but it’s also partly my fault, our fault for deciding to run the car in that specific setup configuration. We really struggled today. Even in qualifying, driving wasn’t straightforward, but in the race, it became incredibly complicated at times. It was extremely easy to go off track and make a big mistake. I did that in turn 4, but luckily I only lost one position. We need to analyze it because I have the feeling that at the beginning of the season, like in Canada for example, we were still very strong in the rain. Today wasn’t like that".

 

The Monegasque driver finally talks about strategy, admitting that the top-3 drivers made the difference by not making mistakes:

 

"If we look at who made it to the podium, they are the only three who didn’t make any mistakes. They deserved to be there. On our part, we definitely made a mistake during the first pit stop. We came in early because I wanted to drive in clean air, but unfortunately, the entry and exit time in the pit lane in the wet turned out to be longer than we had calculated. So I ended up in traffic with Ollie and Lewis, and we lost a lot. Then with the Safety Car, we lost three more positions. That’s how it went; these things happen in races like this".

 

Carlos Sainz Jr.’s day ended exactly as it began, with Scuderia Ferrari crumpled against the barriers. After the incident in Q2 at the S do Senna, Carlos Sainz Jr. lost control of his car again at the Laranjinha corner, a tricky right-hander uphill that opens onto the slow mixed section of the second sector. The incident was apparently caused by hitting the white line—more slippery due to the paint—during braking, but the Spanish driver can’t quite explain it.

 

"It’s true that I touched the line, but all the others were using that line and nothing ever happened. So yes, it’s a real shame it went that way. At the same time, I felt really uncomfortable with the car, which gave a strange feeling in the wet. It’s hard to understand why, but this year driving this car in the rain has always been a bit of a nightmare". 

So he continues:

 

"I’ve never been happy in the wet, and today was just another example. I’m usually quick in the rain, but this time it was impossible, and I had two incidents that I honestly can’t explain well. It was a very difficult day, and I made two mistakes that aren’t good for me or for the team in the Constructors' Championship, for which I apologize. At the same time, I have to say that starting from the pit lane, I don’t think there was much chance of scoring a lot of points, especially considering where Checo and Lewis finished. Overtaking was very difficult, there was very little visibility on track, but that’s racing. Sometimes you win, other times you lose. I’m not worried, but it’s true that we need to figure out why this year the feeling in the wet has never been good".

 

On one hand, Charles Leclerc takes the blame once again, criticizing himself for providing incorrect feedback on the car setup; on the other hand, Frédéric Vasseur defends his driver:

 

"Charles is always the first to blame himself. However, I’m not so sure that he’s responsible for the setup. It was a difficult Sunday, but overall the weekend wasn’t dramatic".

 

Along with the setup issues, Ferrari also suffers from strategic choices. In addition to the decision to pit without waiting for a possible interruption, the team regrets the timing of Charles Leclerc's pit stop, which put him back on track in traffic.

 

"We underestimated the time lost at the pit exit, which was very slippery. A couple of tenths were enough to lose the position. However, in the context of the race, I don’t think it was decisive, because the next lap we would have pitted under the Virtual Safety Car. Things would have changed if we had stayed out and waited for the red flag. Some choices were difficult to predict in advance. Regarding the pit stop, in hindsight, staying out would have been the right decision given the red flag, but if we had crashed, we would have looked foolish. These are difficult situations to manage. Today, the more problematic issues were the setup and race pace. At the start of the stint, we were 6-7 tenths slower than Norris, but equally faster at the end".

 

The French manager still chooses to see the positive side, after a weekend that could have been much worse:

 

"We knew this track would be difficult for us and that it would favor McLaren more. In the end, though, we didn’t lose too many points. On the other hand, we want to score points, not lose them. There will be better weekends; it’s not a drama. Probably the next race in Las Vegas will be better for us. The track wasn’t ideal for us. On the other hand, it’s hard to predict. The differences are minimal and can depend on the setup or tire choice".

 

Scuderia Ferrari is now looking to seize the opportunity that will present itself in Las Vegas, on a circuit similar to Baku, where the Maranello car was clearly the fastest:

 

"In terms of track design and asphalt, Las Vegas is closer to previous circuits".

 

The pursuit of the World Championship title will then continue in Qatar, where the Maranello team will likely bring new technical updates. However, when asked about this, Frédéric Vasseur seems to downplay the possibility:

"We have been focused on the project for next year for months".

 

The Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari also takes time to comment on topics external to the Maranello team. One of these is the recent accusation from Red Bull Racing against McLaren, suspected of cooling their tires by injecting water:

 

"I don’t understand this theory, as we are all trying to reduce the moisture in the tires".

 

In closing, Frédéric Vasseur applauds the FIA's management of the weekend, with the Grand Prix taking place despite many complications:

 

"At least we managed to hold the race. When we arrived at the circuit this morning at 5:00 a.m., there were already thousands of fans. It was important to race for them too. The conditions weren’t ideal, but it was the best solution".

 

The torrential rain exposed the weaknesses of McLaren. The English team has had the most complete and well-equipped car for several months, yet it continues to struggle to capitalize on opportunities. Even worse, due to strategic errors from the engineers, driving mistakes from Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and a bit of bad luck, the São Paulo Grand Prix quickly transformed from a spectacular chance to reopen the fight for the Drivers' Championship into a tombstone on the hopes of seriously challenging Max Verstappen's position in the standings. Despite yet another squandered opportunity, Team Principal Andrea Stella says he has no regrets about the decisions made during the race.

 

"There are some things we need to analyze. As far as we are concerned, we lost positions due to the red flag, but we also thought that pitting was the right choice since more rain was coming. We don’t regret that decision; it was a conservative pit stop. Only later did we see that the risky choice to stay out and wait for the red flag to reset the race paid off. We have things to learn, but there are some positive aspects. Obviously, when you start from pole position, you always hope to finish the race in first place, but the race was full of events, and some of them didn’t play in our favor, leading us to finish away from the podium. In any case, we still bring home some good points. It was important for us to stay in the race, and looking at the Constructors' standings, it’s good that we scored more than Ferrari. That puts us in a strong position as we head into the final part of the season".

 

There are few positive aspects for McLaren to focus on after the São Paulo Grand Prix, both in terms of the Drivers' Championship and the Constructors' Championship. Thanks to Lando Norris's sixth place and Max Verstappen's impressive comeback to victory in the rain at Interlagos, the English driver has considerably lost chances of winning, to the point that the chase could be effectively over in Las Vegas. To make matters worse, Oscar Piastri also had to serve a 10-second penalty after a contact with Liam Lawson, dropping him to eighth place. As a result, the two McLaren drivers finished behind Charles Leclerc. Andrea Stella analyzed the weekend in detail, noting that the team can learn from this experience and the recent American Grands Prix to grow in the final races of the season and stay in the fight:

 

"It was a busy day in São Paulo, which is no surprise given the variable conditions. Congratulations to Max for his impressive comeback from the back of the grid, and also to Alpine for their double podium. The circumstances didn’t play in our favor today. In particular, the timing of the red flag after the tire change was unfortunate. It was difficult for both Lando and Oscar to make progress. We didn’t give them a car with enough pace to overtake during the race without the DRS activation. Unfortunately, we also received a penalty when Oscar had contact with Liam Lawson, which cost us a position at the end of the race. Overall, though, we leave this weekend having increased our margin in the Constructors' Championship. This year, the competition is incredibly tough, so I really want to praise Lando and Oscar for staying on track, finishing the race, and allowing us to surpass our closest rivals. Additionally, I would like to thank everyone back in Woking for bringing the updates and improvements over the last three races and all the team members for their commitment and the great work they’ve done during this triple-header. There’s a lot to learn from today, and we will do so in the coming days. Now our focus shifts to the last three races of the season".