Formula 1 is back in Brazil as Verstappen eyes up another chance to extend his championship lead

F1 returns to Interlagos for what promises to be a scintillating weekend of action.

The Autodromo Carlos Pace is a driver and fan favourite because of the action that has unfolded around the hallowed tarmac in South Sao Paulo.

Classics include the 2008 showdown where Lewis Hamilton snatched the title away from home hero Felipe Massa at the very last corner as he overtook Timo Glock to claim fifth place.

The most recent race in 2019 threw up a modern classic too as Max Verstappen took the win ahead of Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz. Hamilton was stripped of his podium due to picking up a penalty after a collision with Alex Albon in the closing stages of the race.

Brazil’s first Grand Prix was held in 1972 with Carlos Reutemann winning the race in his Brabham-Ford around Interlagos’ original layout which featured 17 turns over a 4.9-kilometre track.

The first race of the current layout came in 1990 as the sport returned to Sao Paulo after a stint in Rio de Janeiro. Alain Prost took the win with the Frenchman finishing ahead of Gerhard Berger in second and Ayrton Senna in third.

It is Prost that is the most successful driver on Brazilian soil with six victories under his belt.

McLaren are the most successful constructor in Brazil, winning 12 races between 1974 and 2012, with Ferrari not far behind in second with 11 wins. Could we see either team on the top step of the podium again as both teams battle it out for third place in the constructors’ standings?

Top 10 Prediction

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1. Max Verstappen

The Dutchman will win his 10th race of the 2021 season in Brazil, despite a collision at turn one with Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap. Sergio Perez will allow his Red Bull teammate to claim the lead of the race as team orders will see Verstappen win the Grand Prix.

2. Sergio Perez

Coming home in second and clinching his third podium in succession will be Perez. The Mexican will lead for a large portion of the race, before conceding the lead to Verstappen, who’ll capitalise on Hamilton’s retirement.

3. Pierre Gasly

The Frenchman tasted champagne after his dramatic last-lap dash against Hamilton in 2019 and will do again in 2021. Gasly will keep out of trouble at turn one and string together strong pace to come home in third.

4. Lando Norris

Norris will take another deserved top five finish in Brazil. A solid weekend for the Brit earns McLaren some vital points that will prove crucial as they bid to topple Ferrari in the constructors’ standings.

5. Daniel Ricciardo

Ricciardo will finish the Brazilian Grand Prix in fifth place. Both McLaren cars will endure struggles through the Sprint but a top five race finish will follow.

6. Carlos Sainz

The story of Sainz’s struggles throughout the Brazilian Grand Prix will be his tyres, which will crucially lose pace as he tries to catch Ricciardo late on in the race. Sainz will have a dismal qualifying but his recovery in the Sprint will earn him another top 10 finish.

7. Charles Leclerc

The Monegasque will be happy with his showing in Brazil with a solid seventh-place finish. Like Valtteri Bottas, Leclerc will get caught up in the tangle on lap one, but will work his way up to another points finish.

8. Valtteri Bottas

Bottas’ turn one luck will once again be unfortunate as he gets caught up in the lap one collision between Hamilton and Verstappen by running over some debris which forces him into an early pit-stop, however, he will recover well to secure eighth.

9. Esteban Ocon

Ocon will erase unhappy memories from his previous visit to Interlagos by clinching points for Alpine. The Frenchman will qualify well and struggle to overtake in the Sprint, but overall, he’ll be satisfied with his Brazilian Grand Prix outing.

10. Fernando Alonso

The F1 veteran will round out the points in Brazil. Alonso will start in 11th after falling out of the top 10 in the Sprint as he fends off Sebastian Vettel to claim 10th place.

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