A few days after a particularly eventful Mexican Grand Prix which saw the victory of Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), the Formula 1 circus sets down its bags a little further south, from next to São Paulo and the Autodromo José Carlos Pace circuit, more commonly known as Interlagos. With four Grand Prix remaining in the season, the battle for the driver's title as well as the manufacturer's title is raging, and the scheduling of a Sprint Race, Saturday November 1 at 3 p.m., should liven up a weekend even more. end which promises to be eventful.
Norris – Verstappen, new episode for the title?
The battle escalated a notch on Sunday, October 27, on the Mexico track. Between Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Lando Norris (McLaren), the prospects of a world title are seriously starting to occupy people's minds. In Mexico, the tension between the two drivers reached a level that had not yet been seen this season. Overtaken by Carlos Sainz on the 9th lap, the Dutchman was then attacked by his British rival, whom he sent to the outside at turn 4.
The start of the battle only between the two drivers since four corners later, Max Verstappen dove inside in a corner where overtaking is impossible. Result, the two competitors for the world title off the track, a godsend for Charles Leclerc who took second place in the Grand Prix, and a double penalty of 10 seconds for the Red Bull driver, sixth in the end.
At Interlagos, on a circuit that is driven counterclockwise (counterclockwise), with its long straights and its second winding sector, everything seems to come together to witness a new fight between the two men. Without forgetting the fight for the constructor's title, where Ferrari, 96 points scored over the last two weekends, took second place from Red Bull, 29 points behind leader McLaren.
The characteristics of the circuit
Length : 4,309 km
Number of turns: 15 (10 left, 5 right)
Number of turns: 71
Most wins: Alain Prost (6)
Qualifying lap record: 1’07” 281 (Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 2018)
Race lap record: 1'10” 540 (Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, 2018)
Max Verstappen's pole in 2023 on board camera
2021: Sir Lewis Hamilton king of Brazil
Three years earlier, another world title battle animated the 2021 Formula 1 season. Probably the most intense battle in the history of the sport. In his second country – the Briton is an honorary citizen of Brazil – the Mercedes driver arrives 19 points behind his best enemy. Penalized during sprint qualifying for a technical infraction of his DRS system which did not respect the maximum authorized opening, Lewis Hamilton started from last position in the Sprint Race, despite his best time.
Nothing to slow down the seven-time world champion who moved up 15 places in 24 laps. Once again penalized by five places for a change of engine element, the Mercedes driver starts from tenth position on Sunday. Irresistible, he overcomes his competitors one by one before overcoming Max Verstappen at the end of a very high-level battle. 25 places improved over the entire weekend and the gap between the two men reduced to 14 points at the time, three races from the end of the world championship.
