Brazilian Grand Prix 2025: pre-qualifying and sprint
Once again the magnificent Interlagos is contaminated by the American vomit chocolate of the sprint race. Alas.
Bit of off-track news: Alpine has kept Colapinto for next year.
Only practice had Norris and Piastri quickest, ahead of Hulkenberg and Alonso. Bortoleto was fifth quickest, followed by Russell, Gasly, Sainz, Hadjar, and Antonelli. It’s worth knowing the Ferraris and Verstappen didn’t use the medium tyre due to limited allocation and not wanting to use them up.
Sprint qualifying was extremely close, as indicated by the five eliminated in SQ1 all coming from different teams. The drivers were: Colapinto, Lawson, Tsunoda, Ocon, and Sainz.
The gaps were tiny in SQ2 and some were not helped by Leclerc spinning in sector 2 towards the end. This screwed over Hamilton, who was the fastest man out, ahead of Albon, Gasly, Bortoleto, and Bearman. As in SQ1, everyone eliminated was from a different team.
Going into SQ3 it seemed Norris and Piastri were very close, with Verstappen in the mix. Norris duly snatched pole but it was Antonelli who got a surprising 2nd on the grid, with row 2 being Piastri and Antonelli. Alonso was up in 5th, with Verstappen one place lower. His middle sector could’ve been better, so the pace may be there. Stroll was ahead of Leclerc, with Hadjar ahead of Hulkenberg.
The weather forecast close to the sprint is ultra-wet, to the extent it may actually be called off. This is odds against, but something to be aware of.
I was tempted by backing Verstappen each way in the sprint but the market was not available.
I didn’t expect to make this bet, but I’ve backed Russell each way for qualifying at 12 (boosted from 11). He was faster than Antonelli in the first two parts of sprint qualifying but had a slightly scruffy result in SQ3. I think he’s got the potential to get in there with the title contenders, but as usual has longer odds.
Could be entirely wrong, but with all eyes on the frontrunners I think the odds don’t match his prospects.
Morris Dancer
Bit of off-track news: Alpine has kept Colapinto for next year.
Only practice had Norris and Piastri quickest, ahead of Hulkenberg and Alonso. Bortoleto was fifth quickest, followed by Russell, Gasly, Sainz, Hadjar, and Antonelli. It’s worth knowing the Ferraris and Verstappen didn’t use the medium tyre due to limited allocation and not wanting to use them up.
Sprint qualifying was extremely close, as indicated by the five eliminated in SQ1 all coming from different teams. The drivers were: Colapinto, Lawson, Tsunoda, Ocon, and Sainz.
The gaps were tiny in SQ2 and some were not helped by Leclerc spinning in sector 2 towards the end. This screwed over Hamilton, who was the fastest man out, ahead of Albon, Gasly, Bortoleto, and Bearman. As in SQ1, everyone eliminated was from a different team.
Going into SQ3 it seemed Norris and Piastri were very close, with Verstappen in the mix. Norris duly snatched pole but it was Antonelli who got a surprising 2nd on the grid, with row 2 being Piastri and Antonelli. Alonso was up in 5th, with Verstappen one place lower. His middle sector could’ve been better, so the pace may be there. Stroll was ahead of Leclerc, with Hadjar ahead of Hulkenberg.
The weather forecast close to the sprint is ultra-wet, to the extent it may actually be called off. This is odds against, but something to be aware of.
I was tempted by backing Verstappen each way in the sprint but the market was not available.
I didn’t expect to make this bet, but I’ve backed Russell each way for qualifying at 12 (boosted from 11). He was faster than Antonelli in the first two parts of sprint qualifying but had a slightly scruffy result in SQ3. I think he’s got the potential to get in there with the title contenders, but as usual has longer odds.
Could be entirely wrong, but with all eyes on the frontrunners I think the odds don’t match his prospects.
Morris Dancer
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