At the final Sprint weekend of the year, Mercedes return to the scene of their last victory. Haas will be hoping for a repeat of last year’s heroics as the battle to avoid being last in the championship heats up. Here’s what to watch out for and who to back in the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix!
We’re down to the last three races of the Formula 1 season, taking place across three very different event weekends. While the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix – which is just two weeks away – promises to be an exciting venture into the unknown, the twilight Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will close the season out on the last weekend of November.
Before we get there, we have fan-favourite Interlagos to enjoy this weekend. It’s the host of plenty of memorable title deciders – think Lewis Hamilton’s last corner overtake in 2008, or Sebastian Vettel’s rollercoaster ride to a third title win in 2012 – but both championships are firmly wrapped up ahead of this year’s visit to Sao Paulo.
As last year proved, just because the title has been decided, it doesn’t mean the weekend will be a dull affair. It was far from it in 2022, with Kevin Magnussen securing a shock pole position for Haas before George Russell claimed his maiden Grand Prix win.
For the third year in a row, Interlagos is host to a Sprint event in 2023. It’s the final Sprint of 2023, with an additional 30-minute race taking place on Saturday evening – with plenty of valuable points on offer.
Verstappen to overtake Prost?
Last weekend, at the Mexico City Grand Prix, Max Verstappen broke his own record for most wins in a single Formula 1 season. Clinching his 16th win of the year, Verstappen also equalled Alain Prost for fourth in the sport’s all-time win list and surpassed the Frenchman for fourth in the list of most laps led.
Another win for Verstappen at the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, which given his unbeatable form in recent races seems highly likely, will see Prost move out of Formula 1’s top four all-time winners for the first time in 37 years.
There’s little left for Verstappen to prove this year in the all-conquering RB19, but as recent races have shown it’s unlikely to harm his motivation for further success in the remaining rounds of the year.
Now or never for Mercedes?
Mercedes have won at least one Grand Prix in every season since 2012. Every season, that is, expect the current one. The team’s last victory came one year ago at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, courtesy of George Russell who secured his maiden F1 win at the Interlagos track. It was Mercedes’ only win of the year.
There’ve been only two teams who’ve won in 12 or more consecutive years: Ferrari, from 1994 to 2013, and McLaren, from 1981 to 1993. Chances are running out for Mercedes to add their name to the exclusive club.
While a win for the team this year is seemingly slipping out of reach, now would be a great time to secure a victory. The battle for second in the Constructors’ Championship remains close between Mercedes and Ferrari, with just 22 points separating the two manufacturers.
The battle for P2 between Hamilton and Perez
Sergio Perez had a dismal home weekend at the Mexico City Grand Prix. After qualifying fifth – one place behind AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo – Perez crashed out at the opening corner of the race following contact with Charles Leclerc.
With Perez retiring and Lewis Hamilton finishing as runner-up – his best result since the Spanish Grand Prix – the fight for second in the Drivers’ Championship grew a little closer once again. With three races to go, the gap is now just 20 points – a number which would be lower without Hamilton’s disqualification from the United States Grand Prix.
Since the summer break, Hamilton has out-scored Perez by 21 points. With the momentum on his side and Perez unable to catch a break, Hamilton is emrging as the favourite to secure the runner-up spot in the championship.
Can Leclerc convert a pole into a win?
While Red Bull have been dominant on Sundays, Ferrari have been able to secure pole position at four of the last six Grand Prix weekends. Charles Leclerc has been the man on pole at the last two races.
Another pole for Leclerc would see him equal Niki Lauda as the driver to have taken the second-most pole positions with Ferrari, behind only Michael Schumacher. However, Leclerc has converted only four of his 23 pole positions with the Scuderia into victory. He has not done so since the 2022 Australian Grand Prix – that’s 11 poles in a row which he’s failed to convert into a win.
Could Leclerc be the man to beat in Friday qualifying at the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix? And, if so, can he find a way of finally converting pole position into a win?
Haas hoping for miracle repeat
Last year’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix delivered the shock of the season as, in wet conditions, Kevin Magnussen secured a surprise pole position for Haas. The team was unable to convert that pole into a huge points haul and Magnussen was disappointingly eliminated on the opening lap of the Grand Prix.
After Daniel Ricciardo’s AlphaTauri heroics in Mexico, Haas now sit in last place in the Constructors’ Championship with 12 points. It’s already the most points that the team finishing last in the standings will score across a season – though that will be of little comfort for the team.
Just four points separate AlphaTauri, Alfa Romeo and Haas in the battle for the final three positions in the standings – a fight which has huge repercussions on how much prize money each team will win.
Rain is forecast for Friday, the day on which qualifying takes place, and the American team will be hoping for some kind of miracle repeat this weekend. At this point, though, any finish inside the top ten would be a very welcome result.
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