2022 Formula One Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc Brazilian Grand Prix.jpg
With just two races remaining in the 2022 Formula 1 season, the teams head to Brazil to take on one of the most historic and exciting circuits on the calendar.

Autódromo José Carlos Pace is the site of F1 racing action this weekend. Last year, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were in the midst of a fierce championship battle, and Brazil proved to be one of the most exciting races of that championship.

This year's race has no such uncertainty or drama, as Verstappen and his Red Bull team have been very much in control of the drivers' and constructors' championship for most of the season.

The Interlagos circuit, however, typically produces exciting racing action from the F1 grid, and this year should be no exception. Its long, DRS-enhanced start/finish straight gives drivers ample opportunity to set up overtakes into turn 1, and a second DRS zone follows just a few corners later.

The circuit has remained largely unchanged for the past 30 years, and its windy, hilly nature has been home to epic F1 memories such as Hamilton's last-to-first weekend in 2021, Verstappen's brilliant wet weather driving in 2016, and Ayrton Senna's unforgettable first home win in 1991 despite having only 6th gear by the end of the race.

This is a sprint race weekend, meaning that the race starting order will be decided with a shortened race on Saturday. The weather is looking unkind all weekend, with rain in the forecast for all three days of the grand prix.

Could the weather make for interesting results this weekend? Who do you think will take the win on Sunday? Let us know in the comments below.
About author
Mike Smith
I have been obsessed with sim racing and racing games since the 1980's. My first taste of live auto racing was in 1988, and I couldn't get enough ever since. Lead writer for RaceDepartment, and owner of SimRacing604 and its YouTube channel. Favourite sims include Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, DiRT Rally 2 - On Twitter as @simracing604

Comments

I'm not sure I'm concerned but here is a couple of answers:
- Verstappen is always right, he keeps saying he was right, even when stewards found he was wrong. So you can't blame his fans too much for doing the same.
- Objectively you can't compare incidents, if only because at Silverstone Max left enough room inside, which Lewis obviously didn't do at the last race.
I understand the 2nd part, but if the argument has been for over a year that there was no way Lewis was gonna make the corner without them colliding, then fine I'll say the inside man is to blame in circumstances like this.

Similarly, Max was not gonna make that corner at the angle he went in, curb or not, so again...at what point does the inside man shares fault for these incidents? One day we want to hang the inside man because he didn't back out, the other day he's the hero and he shouldn't back out. Where's the consistency?
 
Premium
Gentlemen, a short view back to the past...

At the 2021 Silverstone GP, Max Verstappen and his fans (and detractors of Lewis Hamilton) were convinced that a murder attempt had taken place simply because Hamilton, on the inside of a corner, who was not ahead but had significant overlap, hit Verstappen's car because Hamilton did not back out and Verstappen left no room for error, causing a collision. They were adamant that it wasn't a racing incident, and Hamilton should be punished severely. Hamilton received a 10 sec stop-and-go time penalty and was allowed to continue. They continued for the rest of the season saying that 10 seconds was not enough, the punishment too light.

1 year later, at the 2022 Sao Paolo GP, Max Verstappen, on the inside of a corner, who was not ahead but had significant overlap, hit Hamilton's car because Verstappen did not back out and Hamilton left no room for error, causing a collision. The Max Verstappen fans/Hamilton detractors are now also adamant that it wasn't a racing incident, but, unlike the 2021 incident, they claim it was Hamilton on the outside who should have backed off, and not Verstappen on the inside. They lay the blame solely on Hamilton and claim Verstappen being penalized at all is outrageous. Verstappen received a 5 second (not 10) time penalty.

Question to whom it concerns: How can Silverstone 2021 be considered as "Max's corner only" and not both drivers, with Lewis 100% at fault on the inside...and Sao Paulo 2022 be considered as "both drivers' corner" and not Lewis' corner, with Lewis 100% at fault on the outside? Has keeping track of your favourite driver become so complicated, that you can't keep your rules straight? Do we need less rules?...More? Can we finally address the elephant in the room as to why one driver is always at fault no matter the circumstance or will this song and dance continue ad nauseum?

And gentlemen please do not forget my first question.

;)
The best way for you to compare the Silverstone incident is to compare it with the time when Leclerc (or was it Sainz?) was on the outside of Copse and Hamilton was inside. later in the race. Same corner, same day. Somehow though, I don't expect you to jump to my suggestion :)
 
Watch the replay again (Silverstone), Lewis had at minimum 80% overlap until turn in, which is when he started to brake, which is why he hit Verstappen's rear wheel and not the sidepod. Over a year and people act like they didn't see hamilton start to lose overlap just before the collision...which means Max sped up, Lewis slowed down, or both. Either the guy on the inside is at fault in these scenarios for sending it through a imminently closing door, or they are racing incidents. That's the point of rules: consistency...can't be flip flopping around on definitions; it can't be both.
They were nearly even when they entered the corner and Lewis slowed down earlier, which makes the fact that Lewis couldn't make the apex even more curious. When the collision occurred, LH front wheel was barely next to MV rear wheel.

And you said that Max left "no room for error" which is inarguably false. You seem to remember the incident quite well, and yet still posted that.

And no, the guy on the inside isn't always right or always wrong. You need to leave racing room regardless of inside or outside/ahead or behind; Max did in Silverstone, LH did not in Brazil.
 
The best way for you to compare the Silverstone incident is to compare it with the time when Leclerc (or was it Sainz?) was on the outside of Copse and Hamilton was inside. later in the race. Same corner, same day. Somehow though, I don't expect you to jump to my suggestion :)
Similarly, look at the angle Verstappen took into Copse in that race BEFORE the moment of impact...even though Hamilton did understeer into him and didn't hit the apex, if you look at Verstappen's angle before impact he was closing the door.
 
The best way for you to compare the Silverstone incident is to compare it with the time when Leclerc (or was it Sainz?) was on the outside of Copse and Hamilton was inside. later in the race. Same corner, same day. Somehow though, I don't expect you to jump to my suggestion :)
I think it was LeClerc; and Lewis nailed the apex.
 
Premium
Similarly, look at the angle Verstappen took into Copse in that race BEFORE the moment of impact...even though Hamilton did understeer into him and didn't hit the apex, if you look at Verstappen's angle before impact he was closing the door.
You are wrong but I know you won't accept it.
When people support a driver beyond healthy they just can't accept their hero is fallible.
 
it's funny since mercedes won again they the fanboys are back again and max is the bad guy again :rolleyes:

it was pretty quiet this season :roflmao:
 
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Interesting... when Ocon did the same move against "the good guy" in 2018, Ocon was called stupid... guess what?

Stupid is as stupid does
 
Premium
Interesting... when Ocon did the same move against "the good guy" in 2018, Ocon was called stupid... guess what?

Stupid is as stupid does
What, the not at all the same thing when he pushed the leader off the circuit by attempting to unlap himself ? he has a record of walling his teammates and not knowing where his car starts and finishes.

But, I think the cars are too big, too heavy, visibility is too poor and there are far too high a cornering speed with today's cars, to be honest I firmly believe that the 70's/80's were optimal, were we to have today's balance of performance where teams were 1.5s difference front to back and those older and more manageable cars it would be... better'er
 
Hi everyone! Full disclosure I skipped every comment on this topic. Don't know what anyone said, no disrespect intended to anyone, just jumping in uninfluenced by anyone else! This was one of my favorite F1 races of the year because it didn't follow the script. Very happy to see George Russell score his first F1 GP win. ALO fighting to the end? YES! HAM driving on fire with a threat to win? YES! OMG a RACE!?!? Yeah, Max is the the best driver right now with the best car, and he's also a (bleep) for not backing off and giving Perez the position because he DID NOT gain the position(s) that were supposed to be what he was unleashed for in the first place. And I only say that because a) the team told Checo to let him through and b) if his reasoning is in fact retribution for Perez crashing in qualifying at Monaco... in MAY, and he's already champion. I never really liked VER as a person but respect his insane skill, and he's matured so much over the last few years as far as his driving goes. But after this, I bleeping hate him, and I will always hate him. Grant me that as a fan of the sport and let me enjoy the few times he falters over the rest of his career - someone has to be the villain for anyone and he is now mine (he didn't need to do much to nominate himself for that role, for me personally). He is a supremely talented driver and I won't argue that to his legions of fans, and I have no doubt he will ultimately rank among the best of all time if he isn't already. I wasn't a fan of HAM when he dominated (but respect that he is usually clean and respectful to his challengers), but damn I hope GR becomes a force over the next several years. And... I like Leclerc, but dude begging your team to concede a podium from your teammate is lame when the WDC has already been decided. Nobody really cares if you end up P2 or not at this point. It sucks if you got screwed because your team can't keep from tripping over themselves (and... reliability) but don't beg them to penalize your teammate for it when he drove a solid race and has been screwed by bad luck more than you over the course of the year. Hope your team can get their poop together and mount a real challenge next year - if they can, I know you'll be a contender.

I love racing!
 
Hi everyone! Full disclosure I skipped every comment on this topic. Don't know what anyone said, no disrespect intended to anyone, just jumping in uninfluenced by anyone else! This was one of my favorite F1 races of the year because it didn't follow the script. Very happy to see George Russell score his first F1 GP win. ALO fighting to the end? YES! HAM driving on fire with a threat to win? YES! OMG a RACE!?!? Yeah, Max is the the best driver right now with the best car, and he's also a (bleep) for not backing off and giving Perez the position because he DID NOT gain the position(s) that were supposed to be what he was unleashed for in the first place. And I only say that because a) the team told Checo to let him through and b) if his reasoning is in fact retribution for Perez crashing in qualifying at Monaco... in MAY, and he's already champion. I never really liked VER as a person but respect his insane skill, and he's matured so much over the last few years as far as his driving goes. But after this, I bleeping hate him, and I will always hate him. Grant me that as a fan of the sport and let me enjoy the few times he falters over the rest of his career - someone has to be the villain for anyone and he is now mine (he didn't need to do much to nominate himself for that role, for me personally). He is a supremely talented driver and I won't argue that to his legions of fans, and I have no doubt he will ultimately rank among the best of all time if he isn't already. I wasn't a fan of HAM when he dominated (but respect that he is usually clean and respectful to his challengers), but damn I hope GR becomes a force over the next several years. And... I like Leclerc, but dude begging your team to concede a podium from your teammate is lame when the WDC has already been decided. Nobody really cares if you end up P2 or not at this point. It sucks if you got screwed because your team can't keep from tripping over themselves (and... reliability) but don't beg them to penalize your teammate for it when he drove a solid race and has been screwed by bad luck more than you over the course of the year. Hope your team can get their poop together and mount a real challenge next year - if they can, I know you'll be a contender.

I love racing!
Long
 
In regards to Verstappen not following team orders, I propose he be demoted to Alpha Tauri for one race. Would make the season finale more interesting and teach super Max some humility.
 
In regards to Verstappen not following team orders, I propose he be demoted to Alpha Tauri for one race. Would make the season finale more interesting and teach super Max some humility.
How 'bout they cut his pay by the amount they lose by not securing 2nd in the driver's championship????
 
Premium
His crew are part of the team, I wouldnt mind seeing a couple of 10 second pit stops, he might figure it out by the second pitstop what happens when your team lets you down on purpose.
 
Regarding Verstappen and what should be done about him refusing to comply with team orders: nothing is likely to happen except the usual P.R. crap like "we discussed it after the race and the matter is settled."

Like it or not, he's RBR's golden boy and Perez is a #2 driver who could easily be replaced tomorrow. If Perez wants to keep his drive, he just has to suck it up and move on. Being a #2 driver to a star like MV has a good side: you get to drive a good car and get a win or two during the season. The bad side: you're a glorified lackey to the star. Think of Barrichello with Schumacher or Bottas with Hamilton. Perez is on the same level as these two in terms of talent (although I'd rate Barrichello higher).
 
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How 'bout they cut his pay by the amount they lose by not securing 2nd in the driver's championship????
If anything, they'll gain money by not securing second: The prize money they get is for the constructors standings, and Perez would more likely have a bonus for finishing in 2nd, rather than 3rd
 
I agree that Max should have helped teammate Perez. no misunderstanding but I also think these people are ruthless assholes. There must be some more going on between these two that we don't know
 

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