McLaren Racing – Everything you need to know about the São Paulo Grand Prix

A lot has happened since we were last in Brazil. The last time we drove at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, better known as Interlagos, we naturally achieved an unforgettable podium. Well, a podium might not sound as momentous given our successes this season, but 2019 was huge for us – McLaren hasn’t been on the podium in five years. We don’t yet know whether we’ll be on the podium again this weekend in São Paulo, but what is certain is that Formula 1 in Brazil always exudes tension and emotion.

So keep scrolling for our latest race preview. As always, McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo and team principal Andreas Seidl think ahead of this weekend. It also gives advice on what to look out for and how to ask the team any question – and win a prize for it.

So follow you

What you say

“I’m excited to race in Brazil after missing out last year because of the pandemic. Interlagos is an iconic circuit with a rich history in F1. The atmosphere there is unique thanks to the passionate fans who make it a fun place to race.

“Hopefully we can take our knowledge from Mexico with us this weekend and improve as a team. We still have four races on the calendar, so every session counts. Sprint qualifying showed that there are many opportunities to make good progress over the weekend. We have to keep our heads down and take off on Friday. “

“I’m looking forward to returning to Brazil for another sprint weekend. These weekends have been kind to us so far this year, so we’re starting the weekend on a positive note. After the result last weekend, when we had a disappointing result, we can only really look ahead. Fortunately, we have the chance to hit back almost immediately with this triple header race.

“I didn’t take any points home in Mexico, but the result could have been very different if we’d had just a few centimeters more, which shows that we have the car to fight for good positions and decent points. There is definitely some optimism from last weekend. My focus now is on getting points in a couple of days so we’ll stay tuned. The team is hungry, determined and we will continue into the last lap of the season. “

“We’re going to Brazil this week with the chance to recover directly from our result in Mexico. It’s great to be back at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo after two years. The track is one of the most historic on the Formula 1 calendar. The team will have fond memories of our last visit to Brazil as we secured our first podium since 2014.

“However, it is important that we stay focused and do our best to score good points in this intense triple header. The route is not without its challenges with a great height similar to Mexico, constant elevation changes and unpredictable weather that will make things interesting.

“We’re looking forward to using the sprint qualifying format for the third and last time this season this weekend. The new format brought excitement to the fans on the track and offered the teams more opportunities from the beginning of the weekend. The goal will be to find a good consistency with both cars from the first session in order to achieve the best possible result. “

Mexico City Grand Prix

What the statistics say

We have 12 wins in Brazil, more than any other constructor. The last one was in 2012 with Jenson Button, which turned out to be his 15th and final Grand Prix win. Our first win in Brazil came in 1974 with home favorite Emerson Fittipaldi at the wheel, but perhaps our most memorable win here was Ayrton Senna’s win in 1991. It saw the local hero haul his MP4 / 6 stuck in sixth gear home , while he fought off the hard attacking Williams from Riccardo Patrese. Senna was so exhausted after the race that he needed help getting out of the car.

As for our current driver line-up, Daniel is on a decent run of points in a row in Interlagos, having finished in the top 10 the last four times he has driven here. His best result remains fourth in the 2018 edition of the race.

After finishing 10th the last time in Mexico, Lando admitted his dislike of the number 10, but on all four occasions before the Mexico City Grand Prix when Lando finished 10th, he didn’t finish in the following race less than seventh. Before Mexico he finished 10th at the Dutch Grand Prix and only a week later the best result of his Formula 1 career to date: second at the Italian Grand Prix.

Choosing the tire compound for the Sao Paulo GP

What to look out for

So in Mexico there was a lot of talk about altitude and how more than 2,200 meters above sea level affects cars. At a less dizzying 800 meters above sea level, Interlagos is nowhere near as extreme as the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in this regard, but it’s still high enough to allow for altitude. This weekend, too, thinner air will impair downforce and cooling.

Just like in Mexico, the fans in Brazil are crazy about anything Formula 1 related. Brazil has a great success story in Formula 1: The country has given us some of the greatest drivers to ever honor the sport, most notably several world champions Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna.

And the similarities don’t stop there! Last Sunday we celebrated McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown’s birthday and this Saturday we’re celebrating another: Lando’s 22nd cue more cake! But kind of scary to think he’s so young, isn’t it?

What the Grand Prix of Mexico City and São Paulo don’t have in common is sprint qualifying. Yes, the format returns this weekend after having previously tried it at the Great Britain and Italy Grand Prix. Of course, we all know what happened in the latter and hope that this could be a good omen for this weekend. How about the sprint qualifying? This is how this weekend will go …

There is only one practice session on Friday before qualifying. This qualifying is the same as a normal F1 qualifying, but it does not determine the starting grid for the race on Sunday, but the starting grid for the sprint qualifying, which takes place on Saturday after another one-hour practice session. The sprint qualifying is a 100 km race – that’s 24 laps in Interlagos – and takes around 25-30 minutes. The order in which they are placed determines the starting line-up for the Grand Prix and points are awarded to the top three – three for the winner up to one point for the third.

Weather forecast for the weekend

What to wear

If you live in the northern hemisphere, you will have noticed that temperatures begin to drop as winter progresses. So maybe you need something to warm up and from Down Under we have just the thing: The Daniel Ricciardo Australia Hoodie is softer than a koala belly and warmer than Mama Roo’s pouch. In the Australian national colors green and gold and with “DR3” details, it is the ultimate loungewear item for this time of year. For those of you in the southern hemisphere, we recommend ordering one of these hoodies before they all fly off the shelves of the McLaren store. Trust us it will prove to be a solid investment when winter returns.

Look at the part

Browse our official Daniel Ricciardo merchandise, including hoodies, caps and t-shirts

Plus one

With only four more races this season, time is running out to put your questions to the #TheFifthDriver. Ask anything you want ahead of each race weekend and the best will be answered during the live commentary on McLaren.com and the McLaren app. Plus, all of the answered questions make it to Question Time, the ultimate, living, breathing McLaren F1 FAQ, and one lucky person wins a prize if their question is our favorite of the weekend.

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