Formula 1: Verstappen wins the Interlagos GP marked by emotion at the beginning and at the end

The Sao Paulo race involves crashes and a fight for the podium until the finish line between Alonso and Pérez; Norris is second

Max Verstappen reigned at Interlagos this weekend and capped off his performance at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix with victory in the main race. At the Sao Paulo circuit, the three-time Formula 1 world champion led Sunday’s race from start to finish, stayed away from the chaos and won his 17th race of the 2023 season, extending his record.

It was Verstappen’s second career victory at Interlagos. The Red Bull driver was joined on the podium by Briton Lando Norris, of McLaren, and Fernando Alonso, of Aston Martin. The Spaniard maintained an enthralling tussle with fourth-placed Sergio Pérez until the finish line. The Mercedes cars were the big disappointment of the race, with Lewis Hamilton finishing the race in eighth place, while George Russell retired.

The race, before it even began, took on an air of excitement. During the first lap, Charles Leclerc went off the track in Laranjinha after a hydraulic system failure, crashed and did not even take part in the race. “Why am I so unlucky?” asked the Monegasque in radio contact with Ferrari.

At the start there was a collision involving three cars: Hülkenberg touched Albon, who hit Magnussen, causing the red flag and the interruption of the race. The Thais and Danes had to abandon. Ricciardo’s car also suffered damage following the accident, and the Australian was forced to restart from the pits, as was his compatriot Piastri.

The restart, with the cars stopped, was clean, without contact. Verstappen maintained the lead, followed closely by Lando Norris. Alonso was locked in a battle with Hamilton for third place and left the seven-time world champion behind.

Unlike the other stages, at Interlagos Verstappen was attacked by Norris. The crowd, most of whom do not sympathize with the Dutchman, showed their support for the McLaren driver by shouting “Ladinho”. Every time Max appeared on screen over the weekend, boos filled the floor. On the other hand, Hamilton, Leclerc and Norris received more applause.

Despite initial attacks, Norris was unable to sustain the pace, allowing Verstappen to create a lead. Further back, Pérez needed to recover from his poor grid position and overtake Hamilton, with whom he competes for second place. After overtaking Russell, the Mexican closed in on the Briton in the Mercedes. On lap 18 the Red Bull driver made the overtaking move.

In response, Hamilton pitted to change tires on the following lap. With the new compounds he managed to be faster, while Pérez continued to run on already worn tyres. When the Mexican stopped in the pits, the Englishman was again in front. This strategy is known as “undercutting”. The joy of the seven-time world champion, however, did not last long and the Red Bull driver regained the position at the end of the opposite straight.

Unstable and lacking race pace, the Mercedes cars showed heavy tire wear and were easy prey for the leaders. Sainz and Gasly took advantage of the German team’s weakness and took the place of Russell and Hamilton. On lap 59 Russell returns to the pits and abandons the race due to oil temperature problems.

At the top Verstappen was no longer scared and no longer saw Norris in the rearview mirror. The fight for third position intensified between Alonso and Pérez. The Mexican came close to overtaking the Spaniard, closing the gap, but the experience of the two-time world champion prevented the Red Bull driver from finding shortcuts. Patiently, Pérez persevered in the hunt for the Aston Martin driver. On the penultimate lap the Mexican overtakes the Spaniard, but Alonso reacts and manages to maintain the podium, crossing the finish line practically side by side with his rival.

Record attendance at Interlagos

The Sao Paulo Formula 1 GP once again recorded a record attendance at the Interlagos Circuit. This Sunday, race organizers announced that 267,000 motorsports fans attended the Sao Paulo circuit over the three days. This is the third consecutive record recorded by the Brazilian stage.

The new record is due to the organization’s investments in new mobile stands and also in the expansion of the VIP areas. Last week, the CEO of the GP, Alan Adler, had already made it known that a new attendance record was expected, around 10%. The forecast was confirmed this Sunday.

Source: Terra

Rose

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.