Live: F1 Brazilian GP commentary and updates

By: Jake Boxall-Legge, Haydn Cobb, Stefan Mackley

Summary

Russell wins F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix from Mercedes team-mate Hamilton
Hamilton and Verstappen collide after safety car restart; Red Bull driver handed five-second penalty but finishes sixth
Sainz completes the podium from Ferrari team-mate Leclerc
Norris and Leclerc also make contact at restart, with the Briton handed 5s penalty
Safety car deployed on opening lap after Ricciardo and Magnussen are eliminated

Leaderboard

Russell, Mercedes
Hamilton, Mercedes
Sainz, Ferrari
Leclerc, Ferrari
Alonso, Alpine
Verstappen, Red Bull
Perez, Red Bull
Ocon, Alpine
Bottas, Alfa Romeo
Stroll, Aston Martin

Status: Stopped

23:01 That's all from us after a breathtaking Brazil encounter. Thank you everyone for joining us - just one more remaining.

23:01 Here's the report from the Brazilian Grand Prix: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-brazilian-gp-race-report/10399499/

22:58 First time since the Bahrain GP that a Red Bull hasn't been on the podium, which shows you how this year has gone! Believe this is the first time Russell, Hamilton and Sainz have shared a podium together as a trio.

22:55 Russell's facetiming Toto Wolff in the cooldown room, of course, Mercedes picks the race Wolff isn't in the building to win...

22:53 Verstappen on not letting Perez through on the radio: "I told you already, you guys don't ask that again to me. Are you clear about that? I gave you my reasons and I stand by it."

22:51 Russell: "What an amazing feeling, a huge thank you to the team to make this happen. It's been an emotional rollercoaster...I saw the safety car and thought "oh jesus", Lewis put me under so much pressure..."

22:49 Hamilton: "Huge congratulations to drive, what an amazing drive. We've so hard this year to get a 1-2, and this is hugely deserved. [On the Verstappen collision] Well, you know how it is with Max..."

22:48 Sainz: "We had to commit to a three-stop which probably wasn't the fastest. We had a good run on Checo at the end, good podium, so I think we can be happy with that."

22:46 The Sainz-Tsunoda safety car infringement is no longer being investigated.

22:45 Could that late penalty for Gasly also come with some penalty points? Two more and Gasly gets a one-race ban remember...

22:44 "Congratulations to the team, and thank you for your efforts - this is an amazing result for the team," Hamilton says. Toto Wolff, who isn't in Brazil, dials in to offer his congrats.

22:44 Meanwhile Gasly has been given a five-second penalty for speeding in the pitlane. He finished out of the points in 12th but has been dropped to 14th in the final results.

22:43 "This is just the beginning," Russell says, elated. "So proud of all of you!"

22:43 An incident involving Sainz and Tsunoda during the safety car has been noted. We're still unsure what exactly went on there, but Tsunoda was definitely the odd one out in the pack.

22:43 Perez is seventh ahead of Ocon, as Bottas and Stroll complete the top 10.

22:42 Leclerc doesn't get his way and crosses the line in fourth, as Alonso grabs fifth. Verstappen was asked to let Perez back through - but didn't, and finishes in sixth.

22:42 Lewis Hamilton completes the Mercedes 1-2, with Carlos Sainz completing the podium!

22:41 And George Russell wins the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix!

22:41 Final lap! Russell's got a 1.6s advantage.

22:39 With two laps to go Gasly gets by Zhou to take 12th place - this race has been non-stop action.

22:39 Two to go, and Russell's got 1.2s over Hamilton. Sainz is a further 3.2s back, with Leclerc another 3.7s behind.

22:38 "Think about positions in the championship," Leclerc says, angling for Sainz's third place. He's 2.9s behind though.

22:37 Gasly and Schumacher trade overtakes on each other through the Senna Esses, so it means they remain 13th and 14th for now. They made the lightest of contact which appears to flick off some front wing from Gasly.

22:36 "Go and take some points off Alonso and Leclerc," Verstappen is told, as Red Bull doesn't seem too worried about the Perez P2 battle. He passes and gets sixth.

22:34 Stroll moves into the final points place ahead of team-mate Vettel, potentially in the hope of going after Bottas who has struggled since the restart.

22:34 Russell is just doing enough to keep Hamilton at bay, adding little bits to his lead. Meanwhile, Alonso is all over Perez like a rash, and gets the move done before Turn 4.

22:32 Easy pickings for Leclerc, who surges down the inside of Turn 1 and claims fourth place. Perez looks like he's going to struggle against Alonso now too!

22:32 Sainz clears Perez on lap 63, using the first DRS zone to draw close and then does the deed along the Reta Oposta. Perez is next going to be challenged by Leclerc.

22:31 Verstappen gets two for the price of one, with a double dose of slipstream to get by Ocon and Bottas up the inside at Turn 1. Verstappen is up to seventh.

22:31 What was most confusing about that restart was Tsunoda being in the middle of the pack and shown blue flags to let the pack lap him. Something went wrong there.

22:30 DRS is now enabled, which will give Sainz a helping hand in his efforts to fight Perez. Russell's been able to keep Hamilton out of the one-second window, crucially.

22:29 Sainz tries a move down the inside into Turn 1, Perez doesn't let the Spaniard through, and then baulks Sainz into Turn 3! Great racing on this restart.

22:29 Alonso is on a charge, as a lap later he goes around the outside of Bottas to take sixth place. Wow.

22:28 Alonso has now overtaken Ocon, assumingly due to those earlier team orders by Alpine, and is up to seventh.

22:28 Perez has Sainz all over him, but the Ferrari can't mount an overtake into Turn 4. The Spanish driver has Leclerc right behind him too - what a recovery from the Monegasque after his early crash!

22:27 Ocon does attack Vettel at the restart and gets by at Turn 1. Alonso has also cleared Vettel, so it is all going off!

22:27 Russell drags out the restart process before he hits the gas as close to the start-finish straight as he can. He gets rolling, and Hamilton sticks with him as we get going again.

22:26 "Fernando behind us has a tyre advantage, let's focus on Vettel, you need to let Fernando by, then we can attack," Ocon is told. But Ocon is having none of it, saying he wants to fight Vettel at the restart and not let Alonso by.

22:25 Why hasn't Tsunoda been given the command to move out of the way? Sounds like any, not all cars with that command...

22:24 The safety car will come in at the end of lap 59.