Verstappen wins and Pérez finishes third in the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint
Max Verstappen claimed victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint, while Checo Pérez secured a podium finish to bolster his bid for the runner-up spot.
Verstappen added another sprint win, further points, and more victories to his outstanding 2023 season.
Meanwhile, Checo Pérez had a solid race, which was enough to secure a place on the podium.
The race started with Max Verstappen leading from the first lap, as he managed to pass Lando Norris.
Notably, Alpha Tauri earned points in a sprint race for the first time, thanks to Yuki Tsunoda’s impressive performance.
The Brazilian Grand Prix sprint
During the race start, Lando Norris didn’t have the expected reaction, allowing Max Verstappen to overtake on the inside of turn 1, taking the lead he wouldn’t relinquish.
The Brazilian Grand Prix sprint witnessed fierce competition from seventh to third place, resembling a kind of lottery.
Checo Pérez lost positions, while Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were able to move up the field, and Norris sought to regain the top spot.
But as the race progressed, Checo Pérez managed to overtake Hamilton, who was in fourth place, while Norris reclaimed the second position.
The use and management of the DRS (Drag Reduction System) played a crucial role in the early stages of the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint.
At the quarter mark of the race, the top positions featured Verstappen, Norris, Russell, and Checo Pérez, with Hamilton and Leclerc in close pursuit.
In the eighth lap, there was a back-and-forth battle between Russell and Checo, with DRS favoring the British driver.
In the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint, everyone started on soft tires, except for Magnussen, Hulkenberg, and Sargeant, who opted for the medium tires.
By the tenth lap, Checo Pérez had moved up to the third position and was eyeing the second place held by Lando Norris.
In the second half of the race, the battle from ninth to twelfth place was intense, with Piastri, Alonso, Ricciardo, and Gasly fighting fiercely for points, with Carlos Sainz in eighth place.
With eight laps remaining in the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint, the podium was dominated by Verstappen, followed by Norris and Checo Pérez.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda was having a strong race to earn valuable points, the primary goal in this Brazilian Grand Prix sprint.
In the 21st lap, Leclerc capitalized on a drop in Hamilton’s car performance, passing him to claim fifth place. Tsunoda also overtook Hamilton with an excellent move.
It was another victory for Max Verstappen, this time in the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint, with Norris and Checo Pérez completing the podium.
Following them were Russell, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Hamilton, and Sainz, who rounded out the top eight positions that earn points.
Despite being a sprint race, it was loaded with excitement, excellent strategies, and no retirements from the race.
Also read: Brazilian Grand Prix Qualifying Results: Tough Luck for Checo Pérez.
