Brazilian Grand Prix Preview: Small battles ahead of the penultimate race
Brazilian Grand Prix Preview: Small battles ahead of the penultimate race
The Brazilian Grand Prix is taking place this weekend at Interlagos. Red Bull has had plenty of chances to celebrate its domination in 2022, so there is no need to pursue championships or championship odds.
Furthermore, there are only so many upgrades to speak of that will affect the Brazilian Grand Prix and the final F1 Sprint event of the season because most teams are too busy planning for the 2023 season.
However, with only a couple of races remaining before the 2022 season closes, there is still a lot to fight for.
What happened last year?
In a thrilling return to Brazil for Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton won in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix following a thrilling duel with Max Verstappen. Verstappen came in second place behind pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas.
The championship in 2021 was very tense. It was painfully clear to Red Bull Racing during Hamilton’s overtaking race that Mercedes was starting to have the upper hand as he rapidly closed in on Verstappen. With a new engine at the back, Hamilton’s pace increased significantly, and Mercedes made the tactical decision to take a grid penalty.
However, this year is entirely different from last. Red Bull has claimed both titles. Verstappen set a new F1 season record with 14 victories in 2022.
Mercedes, for instance, is eager for its first victory of the year and based on the weekends in the US and Mexico, that likelihood appears to be greater than it has been throughout the entire year. Ferrari will also be eager to stop Red Bull’s winning streak, but the Italian power unit struggled in Mexico because of the poor air quality. Therefore, the question is whether Ferrari can operate at full speed in Sao Paolo’s marginally lower altitude.
Teams fight for standings
Even if Ferrari leads Mercedes by 40 points, the race for second place is still very much alive. The fact that there is still a sprint race scheduled, where points for the World Championship may also be earned, speaks in favour of the German team.
Fernando Alonso retired in the Mexican Grand Prix, costing Alpine valuable points. As a result, Alpine’s lead was reduced, and now there is a seven-point difference between them and McLaren, 153 to 146, thanks to finishes of 7 and 9 from Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris, respectively.
The race for the sixth position in the World Constructors Championship between Alfa Romeo and Aston Martin was intense. On the semi-street circuit in Mexico City, Valtteri Bottas earned a crucial point as Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll fell short of a top-ten finish.
Brazil’s new home hero
The Interlagos audience will have a Brazilian driver to cheer on at their home grand prix for the first time since 2017. His name is Lewis Hamilton.
The most recent Brazilian F1 star was Felipe Massa, who made the second of two emotional Sao Paulo farewells. He unexpectedly stayed at Williams for another year when Valtteri Bottas joined Mercedes.
The Brazilian lower house of parliament passed a bill in June giving Hamilton honorary citizenship; nevertheless, the accolade was formally presented to the Mercedes driver during a ceremony in Brasilia planned in advance of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
After Hamilton’s strong performance in the 2021 race, when he earned his third career victory at Interlagos, Brazilian lawmaker Andre Figueiredo submitted the honorary citizenship bill the previous year. Hamilton dedicated his citizenship to his hero, the legendary Ayrton Senna.
