The third leg of the “triple-header” takes the Formula 1 Circus to Interlagos for the Brazilian Grand Prix, the penultimate event of the season. The Sprint format gave Haas a special moment in 2022 with Kevin Magnussen’s unexpected pole position, and this year, it provides engineers with just one free practice session to fine-tune the setups. Red Bull, as has been the case throughout the 2023 season, enters the event as a strong favorite for victory with Max Verstappen, while Sergio Perez needs to minimize the gap to Lewis Hamilton to maintain his second place in the drivers’ championship. Ferrari currently trails the second-place team in the Constructors’ Championship by 22 points, and with Mercedes having been faster than the SF-23 in the last three events, the gap to close between Brazil and (potentially) Abu Dhabi is rather significant. The Brazilian circuit could provide indications or confirmations of performance in medium and low-speed corners, where Ferrari, especially McLaren, has recently defended well against Red Bull. Aston Martin still needs to fully understand the updates to the AMR23, which has become more opaque compared to its performance in Bahrain, as explained by Andrea Vergani for formu1a.uno.
Brazil GP: Medium and Low-Speed Corners, DRS-Supported Straights, Fight for the Podium
Interlagos features no high-speed corners, except for turns 6/7 in the central sector, taken at around 220 km/h. The medium-speed corners include turns 2 and 4, while the others are around 100 km/h. Both the main straight and the “Retro Oposta” straight allow the use of the DRS (Drag Reduction System), and Red Bull seems to have lost some of its advantages in open-wing situations compared to the start of the season. Additionally, the power units are under a lot of stress, both due to the presence of an important straight like the start-finish straight and the circuit’s altitude. The circuit’s 700-meter elevation from sea level makes the Brazilian Grand Prix the second-highest on the calendar, right behind a previous venue. This puts further stress on the power units’ turbochargers. The setups we’ll see will be medium-to-high aerodynamic load, influenced to a lesser extent by the rarified air. Another component put to the test will be the transmission, with a total of 3,200 gear changes during the 71 laps of the Brazilian Grand Prix, which kicks off on Sunday at 18:00 Italian time.
Given the circuit’s characteristics, Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren could all be in contention for a podium position behind the usual frontrunner Max Verstappen. Mercedes’ performance has solidified as the second-best of the lot, with McLaren strong on circuits where aerodynamic load and fast corners are essential – although they haven’t been prominent in the last three events. In contrast, Ferrari has excelled in areas of straight-line efficiency and performance in medium-to-low-speed corners, partly due to their strong grid positions. It will be essential to arrive with a good baseline setup to maximize performance from the outset (Friday at 19:00 Italian time). For Ferrari, this is their last chance to challenge Mercedes for the second position. Brazil, Las Vegas, and Abu Dhabi do not feature many high-speed or high-downforce corners, and George Russell’s recent difficulties may help the Maranello team. Further down the field, Alpha Tauri (16 points) has seen positive performances following updates introduced between Singapore and Qatar, and they now require 12 points to surpass Williams for seventh place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Pirelli’s tire choice is for the medium range: the C2, C3, and C4 compounds will be available to drivers and teams, just as in the previous year. A two-stop strategy is the preferred option for Pirelli for the Brazilian Grand Prix because “the asphalt has a high level of roughness, but degradation is mainly thermal.” Mercedes has triumphed in the last two years thanks to excellent performances from Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. However, they are still missing a win that would make their season less bitter. The very high chances of rain on Friday will give way to cooler conditions on Saturday and Sunday, with no precipitation currently forecasted.
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Brazil GP Updates: No updates expected; Aston Martin tries to understand the new parts
The latest seasonal packages made their debut in the United States two weeks ago, and no further updates are expected for the 2023 cars, with all teams focused on next year’s projects and limited by the maximum spending cap. Aston Martin, which has often struggled this season, especially in translating factory and simulator expectations to track performance, will need to fully understand the updates. Lance Stroll tested yet another different configuration in Mexico to make the underperforming AMR23’s floor work, but this weekend, and likely in all remaining races, the Lawrence Stroll team will attempt to gain a thorough understanding of their car.
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