F1 Brazilian GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP1 & Qualifying
Friday's action from the 20th round of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Interlagos hosts the closing leg of the final triple header of the year, with just two races remaining of the 2023 season after the chequered flag falls.
While Max Verstappen and Red Bull may have respectively wrapped up the titles, the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez for second in the drivers' standings is fierce.
As is the fight at the bottom of the constructors' standings, with the margins separating Williams, AlphaTauri, Alfa Romeo and Haas closing at recent events.
The sole practice session of the Brazilian GP weekend will start at 2:30pm GMT, followed by qualifying at 6:00pm GMT.
Should he manage to take pole, it would be the 23rd of Leclerc's F1 career and move him above Fernando Alonso in the outright tally. Only Hamilton and Verstappen of the current grid have more, with 104 and 30 respectively.
To recap, Ferrari ended the only practice session first and second in the times, with Carlos Sainz leading Charles Leclerc. Having taken pole position in the past two races in Austin and Mexico, can Leclerc make it a hattrick?
A good haul of points this weekend for Mercedes at the scene of its only win since ground effect rules were introduced in 2022 could ensure it keeps ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' battle. Just 22 points split the two currently, while Lewis Hamilton is just 20 behind Sergio Perez in the race to finish runner-up.
As various stats flash across our screens during the delay, it's worth considering that the tally of points accumulated by Red Bull this year (731) is ever so nearly double that of nearest competitor Mercedes (371).
This weekend will mark Fernando Alonso's 375th grand prix start in F1, and Interlagos is a track that has brought many highs and lows. From a massive shunt in 2003 that meant he couldn't make the podium of the red-flagged race, to clinching his 2006 crown and the heartache of 2012, it's remarkably a track that he hasn't won at. He was second in 2006, 2008 and 2012.
We've been told to expect a delay of around 15 minutes while track cleaning is completed. Remember, both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso sustained left-rear punctures during FP1 at Interlagos.
Last year, Kevin Magnussen took a shock pole for Haas thanks to mixed conditions in Q3. And the weather may play a part again today, as the timing screens report there is a 60% chance of rain. Things could soon get interesting...
Elsewhere in the paddock, Ferrari has admitted to playing things on the “safe side” with its ride height in the wake of Charles Leclerc's US GP disqualification last month. We're back to sprint race rules this weekend remember, hence why qualifying is taking place this evening. Here's what Ferrari sporting director Diego Ioverno had to say.
The departure from Mercedes of chief technical officer Mike Elliott has been another of the big talking points in the paddock this weekend. However team boss Toto Wolff has refuted any suggestion that it has been linked to its on-track struggles this year. Here's what he said.
Meanwhile, Pirelli's request for the FIA to clean the Interlagos circuit after screws triggered punctures and stones left Formula 1 drivers feeling like they had been "sand blasted" has been heeded. Matt Kew is standing trackside by Turn 1 and sent us this snap. Here's the full story.
Kevin Magnussen was a late arrival at the track after finding he didn't have a seat on his planned flight, requiring a detour via Bogota. He had some time with media earlier, and voiced his opinion that the FIA’s plan to eradicate pitlane impeding will not work. More on that here.
Welcome back to Autosport's live coverage of track action from Brazil. We're a little over 20 minutes away from qualifying commencing for Sunday's Grand Prix, so time to take stock of what's been happening in Interlagos.
And then there is Mercedes. Russell was on the pace of Ferrari but was using the medium tyres, making his effort more impressive. Don't you love entering qualifying with no idea of what is to come?
If we look at the fastest sectors, Piastri led the way in sectors one and two, before he bailed on his soft tyre run - a plan McLaren has confirmed was always in place.
Autosport F1 editor Matt Kew is trackside for us this weekend and has offered an early assessment of potential plank wear problems.
He says: "[I'm] wondering if teams will be busy raising ride heights to avoid any more sprint race weekend DSQs. Through the Turns 1-2 downhill sweep, plenty of floors scrapping."
"Back off, back off, we can see an issue," say Williams, after Sargeant is shown driving on three wheels around the majority of the track. The fronts keep lifting off the track through corners.
