Brazilian Grand Prix: F1 – live | Formula One

Lap 7/71 Norris is doing really well to keep Verstappen in range; I’m sure the champ was expecting his car to keep him further in front that this.

Lap 6/71 Verstappen leads by 0.785, from Norris – that’s DRS range -and he leads Alonso by 2.273. We then see Alonso getting by Hamilton, who moves over to overtake, doesn’t, doesn’t close the door, and pays the proce.

Lap 5/71 Here’s our leaderboard:

1. Verstappen

2. Norris

3. Alonso

4. Hmailton

5. Russell

6. Perez

7. Stroll

8. Sainz

9. Gasly

10. Ocon

Lap 4/71 We go again! Veratappen gets away well and Hamilton looks to have taken out Norris, but Norris comes back and then Alonso nobbles Hamilton on the outside after he wasted tim trying to skirt around the outside of Norris!

Lap 3/71 Lando Norris will, I reckon, have a sneaking fancy that he’ll nail Veratappen on the long straight. Good luck, old mate.

Lap 3/71 Our second formation lap is under way.

Lap 3/71 “This looks as if it is going to be a race I’d like to watch live,” says Anne Williams. ‘But I don’t have Sky!”

It’s a state of affairs, isn’t it?

Lap 3/71 Hulkenberg, though, whose car was worked on in the pit lane, can start from the grid.

Lap 3/71 And it looks like Piastri and Ricciardo will be there, at the back of the field; cars that went into the garage are allowed to restart, but from the pits.

Lap 3/71 We’ll resume at 2.31pm local time, so in three minutes from now.

Lap 3/71 Leclerc says he lost his steering wheel and went straight when he needed to turn spo ended up in the wall. He doesn’t think it’s a hydraulic thing but can’t go into details about what it is, but is explicit in stating it’s not the same issue as that experienced by Sainz last time out.

Lap 3/71 So what happeneed was: Hulkenberg gets squeezed out to one side, Albon and Magnussen clashed to his left, something hit Ricciardo and Hulkenberg slunk off still in the race.

Lap 3/71 “Ukulele and cavaquinho are related, and basically the same instrument tuned differently,” advises Rui Neiva. “Cavaquinho is from Portugal and was brought to Hawaii in the 19th century by Portuguese immigrants and eventually evolved to become the ukulele.”

This is one of the many reasons I love these blogs. Ridiculous how much I’ve learnt about the world reading and writing them.

Lap 3/72 It’s not totally clear what happened here beyond people driving cars fast; I think this’ll be put down to a racing incident.

Lap 3/71 When, eventually we get under way again, it’ll be from a standing start. Ricciardo’s car is damaged, but AlphaTauri think they’ll be able to get it out for the restart. As yet, we’ve had no news as regard when that might be.

Lap 3/71 Ricciardo’s car is also in trouble – he’s in the garage having it looked at. I can’t remember the last time we had a start like this one!

Lap 3/71 Our standings:

1. Verstappen

2. Norris

3. Hamilton

4. Alonso

5. Stroll

6. Russell

7. Perez

8. Sainz

9. Ocon

10. Tsunoda

11. Gasly

12. Bottas

13. Zhou

14. Sargeant

15. Hulkenberg

16. Piastri

17. Ricciardo

Lap 2/71 Pisastri was clattered by Magnussen; his car isn’t safe to continue.

“The cavaquino may look like a ukelele,” advises Paul Shaverin, “but is a very different and different-sounding instrument, particular to Brazilian music. My son plays the cavaquino professionally here in London.”

How interesting! They called it a Brazilian ukulele on the coverage,so good to outline the difference.

Lap 1/71 There’s loads of debris on the track so it may take a while to clear. Looking at the start again, Albon bumps Hulkenberg, who bumps Magnussen, and that’s what took those two out of the race; Piastri is out too. He must’ve taken a whack from someone.

Lap 1/71 Verstappen, of course, gets away quickly, Norris is in second, and Hamilton third … but Magnussen and Albon crash out! The safety car is with us immediately!

Leclerc is out of the race!

WHAT?! Charles Leclerc, second on the grid, has somehow crashed during the formation lap!

Our formation lap is under way; Sky reckon the tactic will be soft then medium, with choice on a third to be made once the teams see how the race is going.

“This isn’t about nostalgic whimsy,” protests Hugh Molly, “but that intro song is still crap. Still, bring back The Chain. Or anything, really.”

How can you improve upon Fleetwood Mac? I maintain that they are the only thing no one in the world dislikes.

Looking over the track, there are lots of overtaking opportunities and as such, I’m expecting lots of action – behind Verstappen.

I apologise: the anthem was played not on a ukulele but a cavaquinho, a Brazilian ukulele.

Gasly’s Alpine needed some last-minute work, we learn – likewise the brakes on Russell’s Merc.

Verstappen thinks his team have a “good feel for this race”. Though he was out in front yesterday, he thinks various others will have learnt from that, so he expects it’ll be closer now than then.

Anthem time, with the kid singing it also playing a ukulele. It’s very cute.

Oh, and Bernie Ecclestone is also trackside. He seems a little relieved and a little confused.

Apparently they’re doing a but of work to the front of Russell’s Merc, but his team confirm everything’s fine.

And now it’s Brundle with Machine Gun Kelly – no, me neither – who’s trying so hard to be funny and gnomic and attitudinous i fear he’ll do himself a mischief.

Marta is with us, and though her shades don’t let us see, take it from me: her eyebrows are on absolute point.

Last year, this race was won by George Russell; the year before by Hamilton and the year before that by Verstappen. On the Interlagos circuit, the start is crucial, and it’s hard to see anyone muscling their way past the champ.

There are music and dancers on the track; Martin Brundle is, of course, in shirt, jeans and sheux.

OK, you twisted my arm. Here’s a Brasilian drum’n’bass banger to settle your cosmic equilibrium.

Tangentially, is City of God the best film of the 21st century? I’ve not seen a better one and it’s certainly the only film I saw matinee, then returned for the evening show.

I know we’re in São Paulo today, not Rio, but I’d love to go to this.

Also live for your delectation:

So what do we think about next season? Is there any chance whatsoever Mercedes – or anyone else – can get close to Red Bull? Seems unlikely, doesn’t it?

Game recognise game.

The starting grid

Preamble