2022 F1 Brazilian GP Preview
The Brazilian Grand Prix, the final race of the 2022 F1 World Championship, will be held this weekend at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo.
Even though the drivers' and constructors' titles have been decided, the Brazilian Grand Prix is always worth a look as the racing is always exciting.
This year should be a little more interesting with the return of sprint racing in qualifying.
The sprint race qualifying format will feature one practice session on Friday, followed by traditional time-based qualifying to determine the starting grid for Saturday's 62-mile sprint race. The results of the sprint race will determine the starting grid for Sunday's race. Points, which are not normally awarded in qualifying, are also contested.
The Interlagos Circuit, the home track of the Brazilian Grand Prix, has a compact layout with a lot of passing, causing drivers to frequently go off the racing line. The circuit also has a series of 15 corners that keep the drivers on their toes.
With the exception of the long uphill alcibancada, most corners are reasonably short and do not place much lateral load on the tires. Pirelli has chosen the C2 compound as white hard, C3 as yellow medium, and C4 as red soft, the same combination as last year.
The weather in Brazil at this time of year varies from extreme heat to torrential downpours. It is currently raining in Sao Paulo, and more rain is expected for Saturday's sprint race and Sunday's full-length race.
Heading into the weekend, 2022 title winner Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing is on 416 points in the drivers' championship. Sergio Perez, also of Red Bull, is second with 280 points and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari is third with 275 points. In the Constructors' Championship, Red Bull has already won the championship with 696 points compared to Ferrari's 487 and Mercedes-Benz AMG's 447. Last year's winner in Brazil was Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.