Analysis: Things we learned from the Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Freshly-crown three-time world champion Max Verstappen has gained the third version of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, however its was Fernando Alonso, who stole the present final Sunday as the Spaniard fought an unbelievable duel with Sergio Perez and managed to cling on to the final place on the rostrum regardless of the tempo benefit of the Mexican’s automotive. F1Technical’s Balázs Szabó analyses the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Drivers of the Day – For the third race in a row, Lando Norris was voted as Driver of the Day at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The McLaren racer but once more proved to be the solely driver able to getting wherever near Max Verstappen and he additionally set a blistering quickest lap of the race on his method to P2 in Brazil.

While Norris obtained 26.1 per cent of the votes, Fernando Alonso completed proper behind him with 24.7 per cent. Sergio Perez obtained the third-highest share of the votes, adopted by Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda.

Additional level – He was not solely the solely driver to get wherever near Verstappen in Brazil, however Lando Norris was solely the driver who set the quickest lap of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Bristol-born driver clocked in a 1m12.486s on Lap 61 on Pirelli’s mushy tyres. Verstappen set the second-fastest lap with a 1m13.422s on Lap 68 with AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo posting the third-fastest lap of the race.

After 20 races, Max Verstappen enjoys a wholesome lead not solely in the Drivers’ Championship, however he has set the highest variety of quickest lap as he clocked the finest lap in eight races. Hamilton has posted the quickest race lap on 4 events, adopted by Perez (2). Zhou Guanyu, George Russell, Fernando Alonso, Oscar Piastri, Yuki Tsunoda and Lando Norris have secured the DHL Fastest Lap Award on one event apiece.

Track limits – Track limits had been much less of an issue at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. The Sprint race noticed Williams driver Logan Sargeant lose a lap time, nevertheless it didn’t have any penalties, as drivers obtained a five-second penalty after exceeding the monitor limits on 4 events. Curiously, there was no monitor restrict infringement in the 71-lap Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Records – The Sao Paulo Grand Prix noticed Max Verstappen rating his 52nd profession win which meant that he handed Alain Prost and moved into fourth on the all-time listing. The Dutchman prolonged his personal report together with his seventeenth win of 2023.

Red Bull have additionally now tied with Mercedes with each outfits having claimed 19 wins in a single season. Mercedes gained 19 races in 2019, and there are two grands prix left for Red Bull to beat that report, too.

Teams – Red Bull, Aston Martin and Aston Martin had been the solely groups in Sao Paulo to attain with each vehicles. Mercedes gained factors solely courtesy of Lewis Hamilton as George Russell retired from the motion in the closing phases due tot cooling points.

McLaren scored large factors with Lando Norris, however Oscar Piastri completed down in P14. Ferrari endured a troublesome race in Sao Paulo after Charles Leclerc crashed out on the warm-up lap, which meant that solely Carlos Sainz scored for the Scuderia. AlphaTauri continued their upwards trajectory as Yuki Tsunoda completed in P9 and gained two factors following a lowly beginning place.

Changes – There had been no modifications at the sharp finish of the Teams’ Standings with Red Bull main forward of Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin and Alpine. Ferrari has closed in on Mercedes with the two groups now separated by 20 factors with two rounds to go.

However, the combat is ramping up at the backside half of the standings. Williams now lead the combat for P7 in the Constructors’ Championship, sitting on 28 factors with AlphaTauri following swimsuit seven factors behind. Alfa Romeo has scored a complete of 16 factors, with Haas mentioning the rear of the discipline with 12 factors.

DNS – Following a troublesome dash race on Saturday, Charles Leclerc was not even in a position to begin on Sunday after an digital situation noticed him crash out on the formation lap. That marked the second time that the Monégasque was unable to begin a race after he was additionally pressured to sit down out the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix with driveshaft-related points.

Return – Securing his ninth podium end in Brazil, Fernando Alonso took P3 for Aston Martin, beating Red Bull’s Sergio Perez to the line by 0.053s.

The Spaniard has had a really troublesome time lately as he retired from motion each at the United States and the Mexico City Grand Prix. He scored his final podium end again in August in the Netherlands. He has secured a complete of eight podium finishes to date in 2023 – 5 third locations and three second locations.

Fastest in the pit lane – While Mercedes secured a one-two end in Brazil final yr, Red Bull bounced again final Sunday, by controlling each the Sprint and the Grand Prix at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Milton Keynes-based outfit was quickest in the pit lane in addition to their mechanics produced a blisteringly quick tyre change after they serviced Max Verstappen’s automotive in simply 2.22 seconds.

McLaren carried out the second-quickest tyre change with a 2.25-second service with Sergio Perez’s 2.27-second cease being the third quickest. Not considered one of the Red Bull stops took longer than three seconds. Ferrari and AlphaTauri had been fast as properly with the Scuderia performing a 2.35-second cease and the Faenza-based squad delivering a 2.29-second cease.