8.08pm – Everyone ready with the intermediates
This is the ranking at 5′: Verstappen, Leclerc, Stroll, Alonso, Hamilton, Russell, Norris, Sainz, Perez, Piastri. It’s unlikely that it will change given that rain is coming.
8.06pm – Verstappen ahead of Leclerc
Verstappen flies, Leclerc gets an excellent second half. Water is already falling. Piastri turned around.
8.04pm – First fundamental attempts
Because if it were to rain as it seems, then the times will necessarily be higher.
8.01pm – Q3 begins with the risk of rain
The last decisive session that will award pole for the Brazilian GP is starting. The track has cooled down, asphalt at 35°. Risk of rain in the last minutes of qualifying.
7.57pm – The ten fighting for pole
Norris, Verstappen, Perez, Alonso, Sainz, Hamilton, Leclerc, Russell, Piastri, Stroll
7.54pm – Those eliminated in Q2
Hulkenberg, Ocon, Gasly, Magnussen, Albon
7.52pm – Hamilton takes no risks and exits
Hamilton launches, Sainz and Leclerc also follow him.
7.50pm – Everyone gets better
Norris in the lead, Alonso third. Leclerc seventh and Hamilton eighth are at risk if they don’t do another lap.
7.49pm – Sainz second
Behind Verstappen was half Carlos at 92 thousandths.
7.47pm – Hamilton improves, Russell too
Fourth time for Lewis, Russell goes up to second. Quinto Leclerc.
7.45pm – The top 5 (provisional)
Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Perez, Stroll
Ore 19:43 – Verstappen in testa
With Norris hot on his heels, 161 thousandths behind. Let’s wait to see the Ferraris in this Q2.
Everyone on track with dry tyres, Verstappen is now struggling less. But he’s not as fit as on other circuits.
7.37pm – Rain on the way
According to the teams’ forecasts, it could arrive just before 8pm. There could be mixed conditions already seen this year in various qualifying sessions, including those in Barcelona.
Russell, Verstappen, Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Piastri
7.33pm – The eliminated
Tusnoda, Ricciardo,Bottas, Sargeant , Zhou
7.32pm – Sainz passes, Hamilton too
Carlos and Lewis are saved, Russell flies.
7.30pm – Sainz also needs to improve, it starts to rain
Sainz is twelfth and is making a second attempt to ensure he passes to Q2.
7.28pm – Slow start for Mercedes
Hamilton is told he needs to return to the pits, put on another set of new tires and make another attempt to make sure he gets through to the next session.
7.26pm – Mclaren does well, but pay attention to the set-ups
Plates second half, Norris 4th: but the orange car is very low and we will have to be careful about the wear of the plank at the bottom, in Austin Leclerc and Hamilton were disqualified for this reason.
7.24pm – The provisional top 5
Perez, Piastri, Stroll, Norris, Alonso
7.23pm – Leclerc flies at the first attempt
Charles is already first with the first real lap launched, Sainz is fourth.
7.21pm – Hamilton does well, Verstappen complains
Hamilton goes up in the second half, Verstappen complains because the car jumps too much. Russell under investigation for having obstructed Gasly in the pit lane, new rules on exiting the pit lane have been introduced since this GP.
7.19pm – Norris was fine straight away
Lando in front of Verstappen at the first attempt of Q1, the Englishman from McLaren wants to make up for it after the terrible Saturday in Mexico when he was eliminated in the first session, Q1.
7.17pm – The Ferraris are on track immediately, the risk of rain increases
Sainz and Leclerc on the track with red tyres, increasing the risk of rain to 60%.
7.12pm – Qualifying begins
Qualifying for the Brazilian GP begins and will decide the starting order for Sunday’s race. Tomorrow there will be shootout qualifications and a sprint race.
7.01pm – It starts at 7.15pm
Race direction has announced the time Q1 will begin: 7.15pm.
6.51pm – Qualifying starts late
The FIA warns that it will take around 15 minutes to clear the track of debris. In the first free practice session several drivers complained and found damage to their tyres.
6.37pm – Chance of rain
According to the latest weather forecasts there is a 30-40% risk of rain during qualifying.
6.12pm – Verstappen unknown
Max didn’t try any qualifying laps during free practice, Verstappen has only won the Brazilian GP once: in 2019.
4.37pm – The Ferraris are flying, Russell already fit for the race
(Daniele Sparisci) Red lightning. One lap was enough for Sainz and Leclerc to get ahead of everyone in the first and only free practice session of the Brazilian GP. As in Mexico, when in qualifying the two Reds suddenly lit up to take the front row, also in Interlagos you can aim high in qualifying (7pm, full program here).
But it was a strange session: for example, Max Verstappen is 16th and has only mounted hard tires as has Sergio Perez, focusing on distance. Behind the Ferrari drivers is Russell, one of the most dangerous from a racing perspective: he won last year and is aiming for a repeat to give Mercedes their first success of the season. It’s a circuit that he loves. With the medium compounds he finished one tenth behind Sainz, so he can be threatening even on a single lap.
– Leclerc, two poles in a row: in Austin and Mexico (Getty Images)
The feeling is that they will once again be very tight qualifying, where one detail can make the difference. Or the weather, because rain could come. The starting order for Sunday’s race will be decided. After his outburst over the invented rumors about a move to Red Bull in place of Perez, Alonso started in 11th place. Better, for once, his teammate, Lance Stroll (7th).
4.35pm – The top 10 of free practice
Sainz, Leclerc Russell, Hulkenberg, Albon, Stroll, Gasly, Zhou, Sargeant, Magnussen
4.30pm – Free practice finished, Ferrari one-two
Here is the top 5 after FP1: Sainz, Leclerc, Russell, Hulkenberg, Albon
4.28pm – Leclerc gets behind
Leclerc one tenth behind Sainz, Ferrari has shown that on the flying lap it is highly competitive.
4.26pm – Sainz in the lead with red tyres
Carlos Sainz flies with red tires, we are in the qualifying simulations.
4.23pm – Hulkenberg and Norris accident
There was a contact at turn 12 between Hulkenberg and Norris, the episode will be analyzed after the end of free practice.
4.20pm – Hulkenberg and Albon did well with the red tyres
Hulkenberg and Albon tested the qualifying laps with the red tyres, Haas is among the few teams to have brought technical innovations to Sao Paulo.
4.19pm – 10′ to the end of free practice
Russell still leads the free practice in 1:11.865. The Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz chase. There are now just over ten minutes left until the end of free practice.
4.10pm – Adriano is also at Interlagos
Twenty minutes until the end of free practice in Brazil. Adriano, the former Inter striker, is also present at Interlagos today. Who actually wears a black and blue shirt.
3.55pm – Russell in command
33′ at the end of free practice in Brazil. Russell is currently in command, then Alonso, Verstappen, Tsunoda, Perez, Hamilton, Norris, Leclerc, Hulkenberg and Sainz.
3.44pm – Changes to Verstappen’s car
Max stopped to stare at the shaking seat. Sainz climbs to sixth place.
Ore 15:42 – Bene Hamilton
At the first sharp moment Hamilton immediately gets off to a good start, and is 318 thousandths behind Verstappen.
3.38pm – The provisional top 5
Verstappen, Perez, Alonso, Leclerc, Norris
3.35pm – Leclerc behind Max
But the delay is one second, it is still the beginning of the first free practice session.
3.33pm – The first half belongs to Max
Verstappen laps in 1’13”95, a tenth faster than Sergio Perez. The Mexican is looking for a reaction after the disastrous home GP in which he crashed at the start.
3.31pm – Cars on the track
The only free practice of the weekend began, Verstappen immediately on track with the hard tyres.
3.16pm – Ferrari-Mercedes challenge for second place
Mercedes is 22 points ahead in the standings with three GPs to go: Toto Wolff’s team has always done well in Sao Paulo. Last year Russell won, the year before Hamilton who is also an honorary citizen of Brazil. However, given the speed in the previous races (Austin and Mexico), Ferrari can surprise in qualifying.
3.02pm – Only one shift to fine-tune the machines
Weekends with the Sprint format are always the most complicated for the engineers: there is only one free practice session to fine-tune the cars. You need to make sure that the deliberate setup on the simulator works straight away. On weekends with mini-races there are different reasons on how to change them, however there is no going back: for F1 they remain a success with the public and ratings.
2.50 pm – The Brazilian GP scheduled until 2030
The announcement of the renewal of the contract with Formula 1 has arrived: the Brazilian GP will be held on the Interlagos circuit until 2030. It is good news for those who love historic tracks, among the most spectacular points are Senna’s S . The promoters have announced investments to improve the infrastructure, last year there were 235 thousand spectators present.
2.30pm – Verstappen chases Ascari’s record
Already comfortably world champion, Max Verstappen has no desire to stop his relentless march. In the event of success at Interlagos, the Dutchman would reach 17 victories in a single championship, thus beating Alberto Ascari’s record (highest percentage of victories in a single season. In 1952 the then Ferrari driver took home six GPs out of 8 ).
2.15pm – The real numbers of the Sprint races: Verstappen hates them, but the TVs…
“Let’s get rid of sprint races, they’re not fun and by seeing them you already know how Sunday’s GP will end.” Max Verstappen said this after the Austin weekend. But Formula 1 continues on with mini-GPs (strong in excellent numbers), introduced in 2021 and doubled this year: in Brazil, at Interlagos, the sixth and final Sprint of 2023 will take place. READ the full article HERE
2.00 pm – F1, where to watch the Brazilian GP and all the times
After Mexico, Formula 1 lands in Brazil for the third consecutive race weekend (3-4-5 November). The 21st stage of the season will see Ferrari and Mercedes as protagonists, busy battling for second place in the Constructors’ World Championship, as well as the usual Max Verstappen, chasing new records. Furthermore, the Sprint Race returns to Brazil. READ HERE where to see free practice, qualifying and race and at what time
2023-11-03 18:39:00
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