F1 Brazilian GP Live Commentary and Updates – Sprint Quali & Race
Saturday'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 on Sunday's grand prix.
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.
Following yesterday's rain-shortened qualifying session headed by Verstappen, the sixth and final sprint race of the year will start at 6:30pm GMT, following sprint qualifying at 2:00pm GMT.
Liam Lawson is back in the paddock in his reserve role for Red Bull and AlphaTauri this weekend. He was out in Japan last weekend finishing off his Super Formula season in a double-header at Suzuka, with Ritomo Miyata ultimately claiming the crown.
As repairs continue on the barriers, here's a rundown on who will take part in SQ2: Sainz, Norris, Hamilton, Verstappen, Russell, Magnussen, Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Perez, Alonso, Gasly, Bottas, Piastri and Tsunoda.
Autosport.com editor Haydn Cobb reminds me that this isn't the first time Ocon has come unstuck at the Senna S. Remember when he tried to unlap himself from Verstappen in 2018 when the Dutchman was leading, resulting in contact at the apex of Turn 2?
As a reminder, here's the cause of the delay. Ocon's Alpine struck the barriers with a fair old whack after being clipped on the right-rear by Alonso's slow-moving Aston.
All teams will again use medium tyres in SQ2. And with four different makes at the top of the charts in SQ1 it's anybody's guess for now who will make it through to the top 10 shootout.
But Norris is quickly bumped down two positions as Piastri claims third and Hulkenberg goes fourth for Haas. The 2010 polesitter clearly has an affinity with this place.
Moments after Leclerc goes third for Ferrari, Sainz splits the two Red Bulls and falls just 0.132s shy of Verstappen's best. That nudges Leclerc back to fourth ahead of Piastri, Hulkenberg and Norris.
Unsurprisingly the Mercedes do don't want to wait on their laurels and head out again as the cars on the bubble. Everybody now ventures out for the final time in SQ2, that is barring Alonso whose car it appears won't be ready in time.
As the checkered flag comes out to end SQ2, Magnussen and Hulkenberg just miss out and are joined on the sidelines by Gasly, Bottas and Alonso. Aston's efforts to fix his car in time valiantly fell just short.
Tsunoda only just squeaked into SQ2 and he does enough to be the last man into SQ3 too, edging Magnussen by 0.051s. His Haas team-mate Hulkenberg can also be aggrieved, as he's 0.076s down on Tsunoda's AlphaTauri.
Norris said he was gutted to end up seventh yesterday as he believed he was a contender for pole. Granted we'll switch from the mediums to softs for SQ3, but his pace in SQ2 backs that up as he beat Perez to the top spot by 0.009s, with Verstappen 0.041s back in third.
After a disappointing Friday, Ricciardo was a fine fourth ahead of Leclerc and Hamilton, with Sainz shuffled back to eighth. Piastri and Tsunoda complete the top 10 who will go for pole in SQ3.
This is the shortest of the three sessions, but teams continue to play the waiting game. Will everybody go out at once, or will they stagger it in an orderly fashion? Knowing F1, I expect the former...
There's barely a hint of emotion from Norris as he climbs out of his car after parking in front of a P1 board for the first time since Sochi Q3 in 2021. No surprise who the crowds are happiest about, as chants of 'Checo, Checo' greet the Mexican Red Bull driver.
Norris admits he feels surprised to take pole after suggesting he wasn't happy with his lap. Can he join Qatar victor Piastri in becoming a sprint race winner later on?
Norris will have his mirrors full of Red Bulls at the start later on, with Verstappen starting alongside and Perez eager to capitalise on a stronger starting position than he'll have tomorrow. So this won't be one to miss.
Sixth for Tsunoda also feels like a telling result after his disappointing clash with Piastri last weekend curtailed hopes of points and prompted him to lock himself away in a hotel room. Ricciardo was fourth in SQ2 but it's the Japanese who claims the qualifying spoils in their head-to-head today.
As F1 teams begin to think about lunch, spare a thought for the Alpine and Aston mechanics as work continues on Ocon and Alonso's cars. Will the drivers play the role of delivery men as they toil?
