Can Ferrari continue their domination?
After an eventful Mexican Grand Prix 2024, which saw Ferrari consolidate their position in the Constructors’ fight, it’s the final race of the season’s final triple-header with the action moving to São Paulo for the Brazilian Grand Prix 2024.
Ahead of the race this weekend, here’s our preview and predictions for Brazilian Grand Prix 2024.
Ferrari makes it three in a row
It’s been a strong couple of races for the Scuderia, who have won the last two races (US Grand Prix and Mexican Grand Prix) and their recent wins have seen them topple Red Bull to snatch second place in the Constructors’ standing from the reigning World Champions.
With Red Bull falling off in pace, it’s been Ferrari and McLaren capitalising and Ferrari are 29 points behind McLaren in the Constructors’ standings and with four races, a couple of wins could see them pick up their first Constructors’ championship in over a decade! Ferrari have generally done well in Brazil, having 11 wins in Brazil (second only to McLaren’s 12) but haven’t won at Interlagos since Sebastian Vettel’s win in 2017. If Ferrari want their 17th Constructors’ Championship, first one since 2008, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and the Maranello-team need to put in another weekend in Brazil and all the signs point towards another strong week for the iconic Italian team.
Pole Predictions: McLaren/ Red Bull
Race Winners Predictions: McLaren/ Ferrari
Haas on the rise
A double points finish in Mexico means that Haas consolidate their P6 spot in the Constructors’ standing and with VCARB having a couple of point-less races, the American team now are 10 points clear of the sister-Red Bull team.
With a competitive Ferrari engine, Haas have been in and around the points for the majority of the season and Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg have both put in all of their experience to make sure the midfield battle isn’t just between two teams as they have taken the fight to VCARB. Moving to Brazil, expect the American team to do well once again and count on Magnussen and Hülkenberg to be fighting for points.
The non-home hero
A three-time winner in Brazil and honorary Brazilian citizen, seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton has a special connection with Brazil and the Mercedes man, who’s all three wins in Brazil have come with Mercedes, will be entering his final Brazilian Grand Prix with the Silver Arrows and the veteran British star will be bow out on a high for Mercedes.
The venue which denied him a World Championship in his debut season in 2007, saw him put in probably one of his all-time great drives in 2021 from the back-of-the-field and Hamilton would want to end his Mercedes chapter in Brazil on a high. The signs, though, don’t look too good for the Ferrari-bound man. Mercedes have been struggling with consistency and were way off the pace compared to the McLarens and Ferraris and had Max Verstappen not gotten a double 10-second penalty, Verstappen might have finished ahead of the Silver Arrows.
The Mercedes didn’t have any pace on Saturday in Mexico and while there was competitive pace for a top ten finish on Sunday, the Brackley-based team don’t seem to have the long-run pace compared to the other front runners and expect it to be another rough weekend for Hamilton and George Russell.
Brazilian Grand Prix 2024: Race Details
Circuit: Interlagos Circuit
Venue: Interlagos, São Paulo, Brazil
Practice Session 1 time: 20:00, November 1
Sprint Qualifying time: 00:00, November 2
Sprint time: 19:00, November 2
Qualifying time: 23:30, November 2
Main race time: 22:30, November 3
Where to watch: F1 TV Pro / FanCode
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