Time On Track: Episode 21 – Brazil

Last week, Formula 1 visited Brazil’s famed Interlagos track for round 21 of the season. Like last year, this was a sprint weekend, meaning less time for setup, and more time for racing drama, which we saw plenty of. In this episode, Ricardo and Blake dive into the details of the race weekend, lamenting the string of horrible luck Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has been experiencing the past season and a half. This race saw his exit from a P2 starting position during the formation lap leading into the race. Lando Norris was happy to take over that position during the race itself, pushing Verstappen early in the race, and keeping a respectable distance from the leader much of the way.

We saw a triumphant return to form for the Aston Martin team, who placed both cars in the top 5. Along the way, we were treated to what may be the best racing of the season as Fernando Alonso held off a charging Sergio Perez late in the race to maintain a podium finish, his 8th of the season. On the flip side, Mercedes experienced their worst weekend of the year, with the car looking uncharacteristically sluggish around the Sao Paulo track, where it usually performs strongly (this track gave the team their only victory last season). We ponder what this might mean for next year’s car.

We’ll return later this month to discuss round 22 of the season, which will take place in Las Vegas, a city hosting the race for the very first time. The new track could hold a few surprises yet for us, and should be the coolest night of racing this season (we’re talking temps here). This will take us into the final round the 2023 season in Abu Dhabi, so keep an eye out for the full wrap up coming next month.