Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing RB19. 04.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sprint Day
Max Verstappen prevailed ahead of Lando Norris on Saturday in Sao Paulo to claim the final Formula 1 Sprint race victory of 2023.
The reigning World Champion usurped the McLaren at the start and maintained the lead to clinch the win, with Sergio Perez taking third in the second Red Bull.
The top 10 opted to complete the 24-lap encounter at Interlagos on the Soft compound tyre, but only Yuki Tsunoda decided to run with a new set.
Norris got away well from the line but that wasn’t enough to keep Verstappen at bay as the Dutchman dived up the inside to take the lead into Turn 1.
The other Red Bull of Sergio Perez, however, headed backwards as Russell got through and then Hamilton completed an ambitious move around the outside of Turn 4.
But the Mercedes drivers weren’t done there as Russell then opportunistically overtook Norris with a lunge into Turn 11 which caught his countryman unaware.
Perez may have lost out on the opening lap but the Mexican utilised the activation of DRS to get back ahead of Hamilton into the first turn on Lap 4.
Hamilton kept it clean through the following two turns, though, to be in prime position to slipstream Perez into Turn 4 but the Red Bull driver rebuffed the attack. Although that had enabled Charles Leclerc to cut underneath, Hamilton maintained the high ground into Ferradurra.
Russell had been unable to retain pace with Verstappen out front and the loss of DRS prompted Norris to easily reclaim second place on Lap 5.
(L to R): Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren MCL60 and Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing RB19 lead at the start of Sprint. 04.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sprint Day.
Three laps later, Perez was the next to demote Russell at the beginning of Lap 8 but the latter optimised the second DRS zone to swoop back around the outside of Turn 4.
Perez repeated that move two laps later and this time around got a better exit out of Turn 3 to ensure Russell couldn’t come back at him into Descida do Lago.
Both Ferraris had been struggling with rear tyre wear, placing a gaggle of cars on the tail of Carlos Sainz for the final points position.
Ricciardo at the head of that queue got past Sainz around the outside into Turn 1 on Lap 12 but the Spaniard powered back past before the braking zone for Turn 4.
Following another failed overtaking attempt on Sainz two laps after that initial attempt, Ricciardo was overhauled by compatriot Oscar Piastri through the middle sector.
The hold-up allowed Fernando Alonso to pounce on Pierre Gasly behind. While the Frenchman got back ahead into Turn 1, Alonso battled his way past three corners later.
The Alpine drivers had also begun to encounter trouble with degradation in the closing stages and Lance Stroll accompanied his team-mate in passing Gasly for 12th.
Hamilton had also been experiencing difficulties with his tyres and Leclerc moved ahead into the first turn on Lap 21, with Tsunoda also courting the Mercedes.
While the Japanese racer appeared to hold the momentum, Hamilton remained ahead until Tsunoda comfortably got through with the aid of DRS even before Turn 1.
Tsunoda wasn’t the only AlphaTauri on the charge, however, as Ricciardo displaced Piastri for ninth, proceeding to set off in pursuit of Sainz for eighth in the final laps.
Back at the front, Verstappen had managed the race expertly to take the chequered flag 4.2s ahead of Norris, who was a further 9.5s clear of Perez in a distant third.
Russell, last year’s race winner in Brazil, secured a healthy haul of points with fourth, ahead of Leclerc and Tsunoda, who scored AlphaTauri’s first Sprint points ever.
Hamilton marginally held onto seventh in front of Sainz to round out the points scorers, the Ferrari driver narrowly resisting late pressure from Ricciardo to retain eighth.
Keyword: Verstappen beats Norris to Brazil Sprint race victory