What can we expect from the Brazilian Grand Prix? Race stakes

Is it finally the moment of glory for Mercedes?

It was expected, they did not disappoint. After a particular qualifying session, disrupted by rain and won by the unexpected Kevin Magnussen, George Russell started the sprint race in third place behind the Danish driver and Max Verstappen. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton had to settle for eighth position.

But right from the start, the Silver Arrows demonstrated exceptional speed, with Russell setting off in pursuit of Verstappen as early as the third lap after overtaking Magnussen, while Hamilton was already in 5th place behind Carlos Sainz.

This is followed by a fierce battle between the two-time world champion, struggling with mediums and lacking pace, and the young British driver with a Mercedes that has never been as impressive as in this Grand Prix. The pole-sitter of the Hungarian Grand Prix manages to find an opening on Verstappen to clinch his first victory in the sprint race and secure the top position for the start of the Grand Prix this Sunday.

Hamilton, on the other hand, managed to overtake a struggling Verstappen to finish in 3rd place behind Sainz. However, the seven-time world champion will start on the front row following the 5-place penalty imposed on the Spaniard.

A first 100% Mercedes line, a first this season… for a possible first victory? The team with the star has never been closer!

Will the Red Bulls find their rhythm again?

It’s the other revelation of Saturday’s sprint race. Starting second and leading from the end of the second lap, Max Verstappen was thought to be untouchable as he took the daring gamble to start on mediums that were supposed to be more durable towards the end of the race. Unfortunately, the Dutchman never really found his rhythm and had to eventually give in to George Russell’s numerous attacks.

The double world champion did not see the end of his troubles as he was subsequently attacked by Carlos Sainz at the first corner, and ended up breaking a piece of his front wing on the Ferrari, forcing him to settle for a modest 4th place.

On his side, Pérez wasn’t doing much better, him on soft tires. The Mexican managed to bring his Red Bull back behind his team leader’s without him offering him the point for 4th place, in light of his battle for the honorary title of vice world champion.

We will have to pull ourselves together in the Red Bull clan as this Sunday is when the important points count the most!

Read also: Brazil Grand Prix – Predictions and presentation

Will the Ferraris be in the fight for the podium?

We could almost forget about them as their end of the season seems endless. The Ferraris seem to be a little more lively at Interlagos than they were at the last Grand Prix in Mexico. Carlos Sainz seemed particularly comfortable, but will still have to pay for his penalty for an engine change. The Spanish driver will start in 7th place.

Leclerc, a little less in the spotlight, still finished in 6th place just behind the two Red Bulls, which may give some hope for a potential podium for the Scuderia. This would indeed be a breath of fresh air for the Reds after a tough period in the recent races.

Will Alpine be able to get back on track after the painful disappointment?

This was one of the standout moments in the early stages of this sprint race, and it’s safe to say that the actions were far from glorious within the French camp!

Capable of making a big impact against McLaren following a brilliant qualifying session with both drivers in 6th and 7th position, the two Alpine drivers managed to do nothing but collide with each other… not once, but twice!

Both drivers are to blame for both actions, but the second one was catastrophic, forcing Alonso to return to the pits and ruining the rear right floor of Ocon’s car, turning his 24-lap race into a nightmare.

Relegated now to 17th (Alonso) and 18th place (Ocon), the two Alpine drivers will have to roll up their sleeves to make up for this blunder that could almost be seen as a professional mistake. Not to mention that Lando Norris will start in 6th position and has the opportunity to allow McLaren to move ahead of the French team for 4th place in the Constructors’ Championship.

The urgency is essential for the Bleus!

To what extent will tire degradation play a role in this race?

It’s THE million-dollar question! On a track that is constantly evolving and was washed by showers on Friday, the behavior of the cars with the different tire compounds will be one of the key factors for success or failure in this Grand Prix.

After just about twenty laps, the soft and medium tires (at Red Bull) seemed to show signs of fatigue, while the hard tire remains difficult to bring up to temperature and use effectively.

The strategists of the different teams have their work cut out to find the ideal strategy for their drivers for this race.

The start of the Brazilian Grand Prix will be given at 7 pm, French time.