Interlagos race report: Carlos Sainz P6, Charles Leclerc DNS in Sao Paulo

Here is our full text transcript from the 2023 Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix, which took place at the 4.309-kilometre Autódromo José Carlos Pace, better known as Autódromo de Interlagos or simply Interlagos:

It’s race day! One of the highlights on the F1 calendar is here – it’s race day for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos! The atmosphere is electric and the crowd are expecting more of the stunning racing we had yesterday in the Sprint.

Max Verstappen is favourite to make to stand on the top step of the podium for the 17th time in 2023 and victory today will see him surpass Alain Prost to move onto 52 career wins – only Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton have more triumphs. It was second place off the line that led the way into out of Turn One though, so maybe Charles Leclerc can put up a fight against Verstappen.

There’s plenty of intrigue at Aston Martin at they are on the second row of the grid but face stiff opposition from Lewis Hamilton in fifth, Lando Norris in sixth, Carlos Sainz in seventh and George Russell in eighth. The battle behind Verstappen should be a thriller and this circuit always throws up drama, so it’s not a guarantee the Red Bull driver will walk to victory today…

AlphaTauri certainly played a starring role in yesterday’s Sprint events, with Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo qualifying in the top 10 and then racing competitively in the 24-lap dash itself, with the former even beating a struggling Lewis Hamilton to sixth. It’s going to be some going to repeat that kind of result today given Friday in qualifying for the Grand Prix didn’t exactly go to plan, when both cars were knocked out in Q1. But, as yesterday, they have the advantage of more new soft tyres to choose from than most – and that certainly gives them options to at least go aggressive with strategy to try and claw back lost ground.

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur speaking to Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle: “With the regulations were allowed to change configuration [on cooling] and I think we are on the safe side for today. The most important is to have clean air and a proper stint. Yesterday we were fighting more in the field and you damage your tyres. hope with Charles it will be a bit more clear.”

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The teams believe the hard tyre just doesn’t work around Interlagos this weekend, so expect to see the mediums and softs a lot today. Pirelli predict a two-stopper is the way to go but have not ruled out a three-stop race too, which would be very aggressive. It’s set to be a multiple stop race today and it’s Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc who have the most new tyres left. Both of the front row drivers have a new hard, two new mediums and a new soft. On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell only have one new hard and one new medium, so will probably have to put on a used set of tyres at some point in the race.

Only Sargeant not on soft tyres for first stint: so that’s the Williams on the medium – and the other 19 drivers on the quickest compound for the start. There goes polesitter Max Verstappen as he leads the 20-driver back away from the grid and towards the Senna S for the formation lap to the grid proper.

What a total disaster – Charles Leclerc has put his Ferrari in the wall on the formation lap. Difficult to accept for the Maranello team.

Albon and Magnussen out after crash – red flag! Massive drama at (and before) the start in Interlagos.

The front-runners got away cleanly but behind them, Alex Albon made contact with Nico Hulkenberg, which pushed him into further contact with the other Haas of Kevin Magnussen. The second impact was far greater, sending both cars into the barrier and out of the race. There is so much debris on the track that we’re going to need a red flag to clear things up.

from that restart order, the big winners are Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.

They swept either side of the Aston Martins, with Norris getting ahead of Hamilton too after getting the inside line.

If Norris can match the promising pace he has shown throughout the weekend, or Hamilton has made remarkable overnight progress, they are now both in prime position to challenge Max Verstappen.

Piastri in McLaren garage with damage: He continued through Turn One, but Oscar Piastri’s McLaren received a whack up the back from a spinning Magnussen and pitted at the end of that first lap. But will this red flag period allow McLaren chance to get the car back fit for racing though before we resume?

Max Verstappen makes another brilliant start, and holds off Lando Norris at Turn 1. Lewis Hamilton remains third, but locked up on his way into the first corner. That was a rather getaway at the second attempt for Fernando Alonso. After Hamilton was compromised through the Senna S, Alonso lined up to pounce and took advantage on the brakes on the long run to Turn Four. Lance Stroll is down two to seventh, dropping behind Russell and Perez.

Max Verstappen’s lead over Lando Norris is right around the all important one-second mark. Norris could really do with staying within DRS range. For now, he just about is.

Lando Norris is using that DRS help to stay right on Max Verstappen’s tail. The Red Bull has to defend in both DRS zones at the start of lap eight. Norris will be taking life out of his tyres running behind the Dutchman, so must be careful.

Lap 10/71: Has Norris gone too soon on his soft tyres? The gap to Verstappen has now grown to over 2 seconds in the space of a few laps since the McLaren got DRS.

Lap 11/71: George Russell wants his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to speed up! That’s because Sergio Perez is right behind him, but for now DRS from Hamilton in front is keeping Russell in P5. I’m having to push too hard in Turn 11 and 12,” he says over radio. Either I need to overtake or he needs to manage more through there.”

Lap 18/71: Lewis Hamilton has had enough of those soft tyres. After being overtaken by Perez, he comes straight into the pits at the end of the lap. That brings him out into a nice pocket of clean air in P11 behind the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg.

Lap 26/71: It’s the third-placed driver who is now in the pits. He was 6s behind Norris at the time of his stop in the Aston Martin garage. He also takes on those mediums. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris continue. The Red Bull has steadily edged 3.6s clear. He returns in sixth place for now, only 4s ahead of Perez in the net fight for third.

Lap 27/71: Before the leaders stopped, we saw Carlos Sainz come into a busy pit lane. You’d have to question whether his release, very nearly into the path of Yuki Tsunoda, was a safe one. We’ll see if the stewards decide to take a look at that.

Lap 29/71: We’re shaping up for an all-Mercedes battle here with George Russell within DRS range of Lewis Hamilton over what is currently sixth place. Not a good day for Mercedes again though, already. They have been leapfrogged by Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin and are 20s off the lead.

On Mercedes team radio, George Russell says: “I haven’t been on the radio because I thought it was quite obvious about the pace. Just sat here, not having the tyres.” The Mercedes pair have now been caught by Carlos Sainz.

Lap 35/71: That was inevitable. With George Russell falling out of DRS range behind Hamilton, Carlos Sainz cruises past the Mercedes up the home straight. With Hamilton now complaining about his tyres over radio, another pass for the Ferrari would appear to be imminent. Lap 37/71: And there it is. It’s the second DRS zone for Carlos Sainz this time, as he pulls to the outside of Lewis Hamilton to take P6. The Spaniard is the lone Ferrari in today’s race, but he’s doing a very solid job.

Lap 39/71: It’s a double DNF for Alfa Romeo, or Sauber as Ted Kravitz insists on calling them. Valtteri Bottas joins team-mate Zhou Guanyu in the garage. That’s three Ferrari engine issues that have led to retirements today, David Croft points out.

Lap 43/71: Messy it gets. Pierre Gasly cruises past George Russell, and Mercedes fall further back. The Alpine is up to eighth.

Lap 47/71: George Russell is in for his second stop, and Lewis Hamilton follows a lap later. They remain either side of Pierre Gasly, who has also stopped, in P9 and P11. Will they fare any better back on the soft tyres? We shall see.

Lap 49/71: Sergio Perez uses his fresh tyres to pass Yuki Tsunoda for P6. Lewis Hamilton also takes advantage of fresh rubber to take P8 from Esteban Ocon. However, Hamilton isn’t convinced the softs are going to take him to the end, suggesting over radio that Mercedes should have gone for hard tyres.

Lap 50/71: It looks like it is going to get worse for Mercedes. And indeed it does. Pierre Gasly, who made his own second pit stop and then was let past team-mate Ocon who is on a different strategy, quickly catches the back of Hamilton and breezes past for his second Mercedes overtake either side of the second stops. Lap 52/71: Sergio Perez has got the gap to Fernando Alonso under two seconds once more. You wonder whether the wily Spaniard is teasing Perez into using up his softs, or if the Red Bull is just too quick…

Lap 54/71: Lance Stroll makes his second stop and it’s a slightly slow one, after an apparent issue with the front right. That means his advantage over Carlos Sainz is down to just two seconds, with the pair running in P6 and P7, respectively. Lap 58/71: George Russell is out of the race. Mercedes tell us the reason is “high and worsening power unit oil temperature”, with a “risk of imminent failure”. This Sunday just keeps on getting more miserable for Mercedes and Ferrari are at least able to recover a few points.

Lap 67/71: This might be one of the sweetest podiums of Fernando Alonso’s career if he can hold onto it. Sergio Perez remains within DRS range, but he simply can’t get past the Aston Martin. I’m not sure there is any other driver on the grid capable of this sort of defence.

Lap 70/71: Fernando Alonso’s supreme defence of the final podium position couldn’t quite last to the finish! It’s DRS and slipstream down the pit straight that gets the job done for Sergio Perez. Alonso keeps him very honest down and out through the Senna S though. Wow, sensational stuff from Fernando! He repasses the Red Bull down the backstraight on the final lap!

Chequered flag: With his team-mate fighting for everything over that third place, Max Verstappen crosses the line to win the race – his 17th of the season. Lando Norris finishes 8.2s behind in third. And Fernando Alonso JUST JUST JUST holds off Sergio Perez for third. Amazing! Carlos Sainz ends the race in P6 for Ferrari.