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F1 race results: George Russell wins Brazilian GP sprint

George Russell won a thrilling Brazilian Grand Prix sprint at Interlagos on Saturday for Mercedes, giving him pole position for Sunday’s main event.

Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-22, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB18, George Russell, Mercedes W13

Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-22, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB18, George Russell, Mercedes W13

Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Russell prevailed in an epic battle for victory with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who had hit the front at the start of lap three after passing Kevin Magnussen, who started on a shock pole position for Haas.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finished second, after clashing with Verstappen, who dropped back to fourth. Magnussen fell down the order to finish eighth.

2022 Brazilian Grand Prix sprint results

Cla Driver Chassis Laps Time Interval km/h
1 United Kingdom George Russell Mercedes 24 30'11.307    
2 Spain Carlos Sainz Ferrari 24 30'15.302 3.995  
3 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 24 30'15.799 0.497  
4 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull 24 30'21.801 6.002  
5 Mexico Sergio Perez Red Bull 24 30'23.162 1.361  
6 Monaco Charles Leclerc Ferrari 24 30'24.440 1.278  
7 United Kingdom Lando Norris McLaren 24 30'36.931 12.491  
8 Denmark Kevin Magnussen Haas 24 30'40.075 3.144  
9 Germany Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 24 30'41.525 1.450  
10 France Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 24 30'45.477 3.952  
11 Australia Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 24 30'50.702 5.225  
12 Germany Mick Schumacher Haas 24 30'52.466 1.764  
13 China Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 24 30'53.070 0.604  
14 Finland Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 24 30'53.645 0.575  
15 Spain Fernando Alonso Alpine 24 31'00.292 6.647  
16 Japan Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 24 31'01.613 1.321  
17 Canada Lance Stroll Aston Martin 24 31'02.007 0.394  
18 France Esteban Ocon Alpine 24 31'03.063 1.056  
19 Canada Nicholas Latifi Williams 24 31'28.157 25.094  
  Thailand Alex Albon Williams 12      

How the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint unfolded

Magnussen held his pole advantage on the run to Turn 1, ahead of Verstappen (who started on the medium tyres, unlike the majority on softs) and Russell. Lando Norris (McLaren) held off Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) for fourth, as the Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso almost clashed at Descida do Lago and then touched properly on the start/finish straight.

Magnussen led the opening lap, as Russell attacked Verstappen for second. Sainz passed Norris for fourth at the start of lap two, as Alonso dropped to 10th and then pitted to replace a broken front wing.

Verstappen took the lead from Magnussen at the start of lap three at the Senna-S, as Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) demoted Ocon for sixth. Russell and Sainz passed Magnussen on lap four, while Hamilton passed Norris and Magnussen on successive laps.

Russell kept Verstappen within DRS range, with Sainz also in close attendance. Behind Hamilton, Magnussen lost another spot to Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.

Russell almost grabbed the lead at half distance, drawing alongside on the outside of Turn 1 and then Turn 4 with the benefit of DRS. They repeated it on Lap 13, with Verstappen just hanging on through the uphill Ferradura right-hander.

Russell wrested the lead away with 10 laps to go, finally DRS-ing past before the braking zone for Descida do Lago. As Russell pulled away to win, team-mate Hamilton latched on to the rear of Sainz, who was closing on Verstappen.

Sainz sliced past Verstappen at the Senna-S on Lap 19, hitting the Red Bull at Turn 2 and damaging its front wing endplate. Hamilton also passed the hobbled Verstappen to finish third – and was right on Sainz’s tail at the end.

Perez asked if Verstappen would pull over, to give him the extra points, but to no avail. Leclerc finished sixth, ahead of Norris and Magnussen.

As well as the warring Alpines, the Aston Martins also clashed when Lance Stroll drove Sebastian Vettel off the circuit exiting the Senna-S, for which he received a penalty. Vettel finished ninth, ahead of AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly.

The FIA is investigating Hamilton's grid positioning, however, while Sainz will take a five-place grid penalty for a power unit change on Sunday.

2022 Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix sprint fastest laps

Cla Driver Chassis Laps Time Gap Interval km/h
1 United Kingdom George Russell Mercedes 4 1'14.233     208.969
2 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 3 1'14.317 0.084 0.084 208.732
3 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull 5 1'14.507 0.274 0.190 208.200
4 Spain Carlos Sainz Ferrari 2 1'14.522 0.289 0.015 208.158
5 Mexico Sergio Perez Red Bull 5 1'14.699 0.466 0.177 207.665
6 Spain Fernando Alonso Alpine 5 1'14.764 0.531 0.065 207.484
7 Denmark Kevin Magnussen Haas 2 1'15.110 0.877 0.346 206.529
8 Monaco Charles Leclerc Ferrari 4 1'15.236 1.003 0.126 206.183
9 France Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 3 1'15.290 1.057 0.054 206.035
10 United Kingdom Lando Norris McLaren 4 1'15.380 1.147 0.090 205.789
11 Australia Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 5 1'15.385 1.152 0.005 205.775
12 Canada Lance Stroll Aston Martin 4 1'15.425 1.192 0.040 205.666
13 Germany Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 4 1'15.451 1.218 0.026 205.595
14 China Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 7 1'15.765 1.532 0.314 204.743
15 Germany Mick Schumacher Haas 5 1'15.771 1.538 0.006 204.727
16 Finland Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 8 1'15.980 1.747 0.209 204.164
17 Thailand Alex Albon Williams 4 1'15.998 1.765 0.018 204.115
18 France Esteban Ocon Alpine 5 1'16.097 1.864 0.099 203.850
19 Japan Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 4 1'16.413 2.180 0.316 203.007
20 Canada Nicholas Latifi Williams 4 1'16.525 2.292 0.112 202.710

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