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Formula 1 Brazilian GP

Brazilian GP final practice and qualifying

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Mercedes tells Hamilton that Rosberg found more time on his second push lap, so it's not necessarily over yet for the reigning world champion in this session.
Crash
Grosjean suffers a spin at Turn 4 after passing a Force India. "Something weird is on the car guys - I lost the car with no real reason," he reports.
Vettel becomes the first non-Mercedes driver to break into the 1m11s in this session. That's third fastest for the German.
Checkered flag
The flag falls on the final practice session.
Run down of the final order in FP3: 1. Rosberg; 2. Hamilton; 3. Vettel; 4. Raikkonen; 5. Verstappen; 6. Ricciardo; 7. Bottas; 8. Palmer; 9. Massa; 10. Alonso; 11. Hulkenberg; 12. Perez; 13. Magnussen; 14. Sainz; 15. Grosjean; 16. Gutierrez; 17. Kvyat; 18. Button; 19. Wehrlein; 20. Nasr; 21. Ocon; 22. Ericsson (no time).
Great effort from Jolyon Palmer to put his Renault eighth in that session, splitting the Williams drivers, and beating Alonso's McLaren, and both Force Indias.
Here's our full report from that final practice session. We'll be back for qualifying at 4pm UK time.

Rosberg outpaces F1 title rival Hamilton in Brazilian GP practice

Formula 1 championship leader Nico Rosberg beat title rival Lewis Hamilton to the fastest time in final practice for the Brazilian Grand Prix at an overcast Interlagos

Rosberg outpaces F1 title rival Hamilton in Brazilian GP practice
Welcome back to Autosport Live - time for a qualifying session that could set the scene for a championship clincher.
Friday was Lewis Hamilton's day - the reigning champion a small margin ahead of title rival Nico Rosberg in both sessions. But Rosberg turned the tables this morning.

And Ferrari and Red Bull aren't far behind either.
Plenty of cars queuing in the pitlane awaiting the green light, but Vettel is not among them - work ongoing in the Ferrari garage.
Green flag
Both Mercedes are among the cars straight out as the light goes green.
Radio Comms
A bit of confusion down at Haas, as the cars queue to get out quickly for Q1.
Radio Comms
"Wind has picked up, just be mindful of that. Tailwind at Turn 4," Mercedes tells Hamilton. Haas tells Grosjean he needs enough room not to "bump into" the world champion later in the run.
Rosberg has the early edge in sector one as the Mercedes embark on their first flying laps.
Stopwatch
Hamilton has to dodge traffic out of the final corner but is still faster than Rosberg - a 1m11.511s to 1m11.815s.
Bottas goes third, ahead of the Haas pair and the Manors.
Massa now pips Bottas to third by 0.248s.
Raikkonen jumps ahead of the Williams for third, but is immediately pipped by Verstappen, who is within a tenth of Rosberg.
A replay shows Rosberg wandering off track at the Senna S - either on a second flying lap gone awry or being really kind to faster cars behind.
Ricciardo goes fifth, half a second and two places behind team-mate Verstappen.
Vettel's Ferrari is still stuck in the pits as work continues to rectify a problem. Everyone else is, or has been, out.
Bad first lap for Magnussen - he's slowest of everyone who's run so far and is 1.2s down on team-mate Palmer.
Radio Comms
"Box box, look after these tyres, we made need them again, not too slow or they'll be too cold to start," Mercedes instructs Rosberg. "Shall I go again?" Hamilton asks. "Negative, we're happy with that lap," Mercedes replies. Great start for Hamilton, despite getting baulked by Daniil Kvyat's Toro Rosso.
Vettel now gets going.
Raikkonen has stayed out for another flying lap and is fastest of all in sector one.
Radio Comms
"Now the rain is a bit more heavy," Raikkonen reports to Ferrari. Ominous signs for Q2 perhaps.

By: Geoff Creighton

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