Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix Preview

It’s hard to believe the penultimate weekend of the 2022 Formula 1 season is upon us. The drivers battle at Interlagos with more points on offer with the final Sprint race taking place on Saturday.

Both championships have been secured, with Max Verstappen searching for his 15th victory of the season at Interlagos this weekend. Ferrari holds a 40-point lead over Mercedes in the constructors’ championship, and the Brackley team will look to gain some ground on the Italian team.

It’s no surprise then that Verstappen is the favourite to win the Sprint and Grand Prix. The Sprint format means qualifying takes place on Friday after the first practice session and the fastest driver takes home the pole position title. The Sprint race offers fans added action, with an all-out 100km sprint to the finish with no mandatory pit stops.

The Favourites

Verstappen is the clear favourite this weekend, and we’re likely to see Ferrari bounce back from their disappointing outing in Mexico City a fortnight ago. Mercedes were very competitive last time out, and Lewis Hamilton has won three of the last five races in Brazil. However, Mercedes strategy director James Vowles expects the team to lose out to Red Bull on pure pace and find it much harder to compete with Ferrari. We foresee Verstappen dominating the Sprint and main race, but have pencilled in Carlos Sainz and George Russell as outsiders for a podium finish. 

Midfield Battle

Alpine’s lead over McLaren is separated by seven points and another strong performance from Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris could see the battle for the fourth spot go down to the final race of the season. Ricciardo has been rumoured to join Mercedes in 2023 as a reserve driver, but another strong performance, like the one in Mexico, could see him land the seat Haas. 

The forecast over Interlagos shows a threat of wet weather across the weekend, with thunderstorms during Saturday’s Sprint race. It would make for an interesting race if the weather Gods play their cards. 

Sprint – Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez

Verstappen, Perez, Sainz

Fastest lap: Leclerc

Pole position: Leclerc

First to retire: Tsunoda

Most Team Points: Red Bull

Both Cars Qualify for Q3 Shootout: Ferrari

Free Practice 1/2/3 Winning Car: Verstappen / Red Bull

Safety Car: Yes

Top 6: Norris

Top 10: Ocon, Magnussen, Alonso

Fastest top speed: Williams

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