F1’s teams and drivers are braced for “very uncertain” weather conditions at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Saturday with a risk of heavy rain and winds.
The dry weather of Friday’s opening day at Interlagos is forecast to give way to far more unsettled conditions into Saturday, when the 24-lap Sprint followed by Qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix take place.
The Sprint is scheduled for just before lunchtime local time – which is 2pm in the UK and Ireland, live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event – with full qualifying in the afternoon (6pm UK time).
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McLaren’s title-leading driver Lando Norris claimed pole for the Sprint and said: “Of course, we need to prepare for both [dry and wet] conditions.
“I expect the morning to be heavy rain and incredibly windy at the same time, so let’s wait and see what’s going to happen.”
And on the chance of rain, he added: “No point worrying about anything for now. I’m happy with today. It was difficult. It was a good job. I put things together. Now, the focus will switch to tomorrow.”
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McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri reflect on the first day of the Sao Paulo GP
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said: “We know that the weather conditions are very uncertain tomorrow: we will have to be perfect in every operation, both on the track and in the garage, to score as many points as possible.”
Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) currently has an orange weather warning in place until the end of Saturday for an area of the country including the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo, in which Interlagos is located, for heavy rain and high winds.
FIA race director Rui Marques informed teams after Sprint Qualifying that “due to the anticipated severe weather conditions” they were allowed to close their garage doors in the pit lane on Friday night.
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McLaren’s Lando Norris claims pole in the Sao Paulo GP Sprint race as Kimi Antonelli joins Norris on the front row in second
Unpredictable weather is an annual factor when F1 visits Brazil.
Last year, heavy rain and thunderstorms prevented main qualifying from taking place as scheduled on Saturday, with the session moved to Sunday morning ahead of the race.
Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg, who qualified 10th for the Sprint, said: “Obviously the forecast looks pretty wet at times. I hope it’s runnable, that’s always the question here if you remember last year, which was obviously too much rain and then that’s also no good.
“Let’s see what happens. Hopefully we can run and put on a good show for the fans here.”
Could rain help Verstappen and Piastri come back at Norris?
Depending on whether rain coincides with F1’s scheduled running on Saturday, and how heavy it falls on an undulating track across which rivers of standing water can form, requiring Safety Cars or even red flags, an unpredictable Sprint could give Norris’ two title rivals the chance to come back at the pole-sitting title leader.
Max Verstappen, who is 36 points behind the Briton, qualified only sixth amid struggles with his Red Bull car in the dry but is regarded as the sport’s current wet-weather specialist and brilliantly won from 17th on the grid in the rain in last year’s full Grand Prix in Brazil.
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Max Verstappen blamed ‘vibrations in the car’ and ‘grip’ after struggling in Sprint qualifying at the Sao Paulo GP
However, the Dutchman sounded a note of caution on his chances of any sudden turnaround in the wet.
“I don’t know, we will find out,” he said. “It’s quite clear we are lacking something and I’m not expecting that suddenly to be miles better in the wet, but we’ll see tomorrow.”
Oscar Piastri, who will start the Sprint in third with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli between himself and team-mate Norris, said: “It’s going to be an interesting day. Let’s see what weather we get.
“I’ll try to take whatever opportunities there are. I think the pace in the car has been really good, so hopefully that translates to whatever we get.”
Sky Sports F1’s Sao Paulo GP Schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix
Saturday November 8
1pm: Sao Paulo GP Sprint build-up
2pm: SAO PAULO GP SPRINT*
3.30pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
5pm: Sao Paulo GP Qualifying build-up
6pm: SAO PAULO GP QUALIFYING
8pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday November 9
3.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Sao Paulo GP build-up
5pm: THE SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX
7pm: Chequered Flag: Sao Paulo GP reaction
8pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1’s thrilling title race continues in Brazil with a Sprint weekend at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix from this Friday, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime