F1 Brazil GP LIVE: Sprint race schedule and start time as Oscar Piastri starts on pole
F1 live updates as Piastri starts ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris for the Brazil sprint race
F1 rolls around to Brazil next as Interlagos plays host to the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and round 21 of the 2024 season - and the penultimate sprint weekend of the year.
Carlos Sainz won an action-packed Mexico City Grand Prix last time out, as Ferrari took their second consecutive win and narrowed the gap to McLaren in the constructors’ standings.
But the main talking point was another contentious clash between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver, leading the world championship, was handed a 20-second penalty and finished sixth, with Norris coming home in second to cut the deficit in the standings to 47 points.
Charles Leclerc finished third, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth. The seven-time F1 world champion returns to one of his favourite tracks this weekend, on what is the fifth sprint weekend of 2024. Oscar Piastri is on pole for the Saturday sprint.
Follow all the latest updates from the Brazilian Grand Prix with The Independent
Helmut Marko on Max Verstappen grid penalty
Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko suggested that switching out Max Verstappen’s engine for the Brazilian Grand Prix could end up being beneficial to the team as the circuit is one which favours overtaking.
He told ORF: “The engine we had in there [for the Mexican GP] was no longer intended for the race.
“The older an engine gets, the more its performance diminishes [...] We saw that we were missing 3-8kph on the straights.
“The penalty would be five places. That wouldn’t be so severe in Brazil, for example, where you can overtake relatively easily.”
Red Bull weigh up surprise wildcard option for 2025: ‘He was faster than Franco Colapinto’
Red Bull are considering going with a surprise wildcard option as their second driver to partner Max Verstappen for the 2025 F1 season as Sergio Perez’s struggles continue.
During the summer, the Mexican veteran signed a contract extension to stay with Red Bull until the end of the 2026 campaign but has been in dismal form ever since.
He hasn’t finished higher than sixth in any of the nine races since that extension despite teammate Verstappen finishing inside the top six in every one of those races – winning two and finishing second in two others.
Red Bull weigh up surprise wildcard option for 2025: ‘Faster than Franco Colapinto’
Sergio Perez’s dismal performances have opened up speculation of a new driver partnering Max Verstappen at Red Bull next season
Christian Horner on Red Bull ‘supporting’ Perez
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has been one of Sergio Perez’s biggest supporters but even he appears to be losing patience with the Mexican, who has endured a terrible year this season.
“I think we have done everything we could to support Checo [Perez] and we will do the same this weekend in Brazil,” said Horner. “But there comes a point where you reach a limit.
“There comes a time when difficult decisions have to be made. We are now third in the constructors’ championship. We are determined to win again, but that will be hard work in the next four races.”
Lando Norris downplays friendship with Max Verstappen: ‘I don’t talk to him’
Lando Norris has promised not to treat Max Verstappen “like s***” – despite playing down his friendship with the driver he is bidding to dethrone as world champion.
Norris will start Saturday’s sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix from second, two places ahead of Verstappen, after Oscar Piastri sealed a last-gasp pole position in the other McLaren.
Full quotes below:
Lando Norris downplays friendship with Max Verstappen: ‘I don’t talk to him’
Norris will start Saturday’s sprint race in Brazil from second, two places ahead of Verstappen
NEW: Ollie Bearman to race for rest of Brazil weekend
Haas confirms that Kevin Magnussen will not compete in the São Paulo Grand Prix and Oliver Bearman will race for the team for the remainder of the weekend.
SPRINT QUALIFYING REPORT: Lando Norris pipped to pole by Oscar Piastri in Brazilian GP sprint qualifying
Lando Norris will start Saturday’s sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix from second after he was bumped off pole position by McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.
Norris looked set to land top spot only to be gazumped by Piastri with the Australian’s final throw of the dice.
Piastri finished just 0.029 seconds clear of Norris who failed to improve on his final lap.
However, Norris will line up two places clear of title rival Max Verstappen after the Red Bull man could manage only fourth, three tenths off the pace. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc starts third for Saturday’s 24-lap dash to the chequered flag.
Lando Norris pipped to pole by Oscar Piastri in Brazilian GP sprint qualifying
Norris looked set to land top spot only to be gazumped by Piastri with the Australian’s final throw of the dice
F1 Brazilian GP LIVE: Lewis Hamilton after qualifying P11...
“It was pretty bad, same in every qualifying for me. I’ve got no confidence in the car. The ride was pretty bad, the track has been resurfaced.
“FP1 was like Baku 2022 for the car. We changed the car, through corners the thing is hoping. It’s very hard to drive.
“It is what it is, I’m not massively bothered. If I can move forward in the sprint, so be it.”
F1 Brazilian GP LIVE: Ollie Bearman reacts after qualifying P10..
F1 Brazilian GP LIVE: George Russell after qualifying P6...
“It was the same for everyone, the track was so bumpy. A challenging session - P6 is where we’re at as a team. Could be better, could be worse.
“We’re at the back of the front pack. There’s a pace delta to the front.”
F1 Brazilian GP LIVE: Max Verstappen after qualifying P4 for the sprint...
“The car was a bit difficult on the bumps. They did the resurfacing but it’s more difficult to drive, the car is jumping around a lot and costing me a lot of lap time.
“When you’re quite a bit off on one lap, we’re not the strongest in the race. There’s some weather around. For the penalty, I have a bit more work to do!”
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