The title is done and dusted, even the runner-up spot is sealed, but there’s still a race victory to contend for. Motorsport Week glances through history at the form guide for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Wins
Brazil joined the calendar as a world championship round in 1972 and the majority of the grands prix have taken place at Interlagos – which loosely translates as ‘between the lakes’.
Of the current grid Sebastian Vettel has taken the most victories at the venue, triumphing for Red Bull in his title-winning campaigns in 2010 and 2013, before adding another win for Ferrari in 2017.
World Champion Lewis Hamilton has a mixed record at Interlagos and took until 2016 to register a win – achieved in atrocious weather conditions – and secured success in the dry 12 months ago.
Both Vettel and Hamilton have sealed world titles at Interlagos in frantic grands prix, with the Ferrari driver taking his third championship in 2012, four years after Hamilton’s last-gasp maiden success.
Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen savoured victory at Interlagos back in 2007 – a win that secured him the title at the season finale.
Both Vettel and Hamilton nonetheless have some way to go if they are to get near a new benchmark – Alain Prost took six wins in Brazil during his distinguished career.
Poles
Hamilton turns the tables on Vettel in this category with three poles to two.
Hamilton claimed top spot for his McLaren swansong in 2012 and also set the quickest time in qualifying in 2016 and 2018.
Vettel’s one-lap wonders came in 2011 and 2013, while two other drivers have clocked the best time in Q3 at Interlagos.
Valtteri Bottas was on form in 2017 while in 2010 rookie Nico Hulkenberg memorably set the fastest lap in a damp qualifying session to take a shock pole position for Williams.
Podiums
Raikkonen leads the way among the current contingent with seven podiums – adding a trio of seconds and trio of thirds to his 2007 victory.
Vettel and Hamilton both have five Interlagos rostrums to their name while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took home third in 2016 and second last year, a race that he stood a strong chance of winning until a clash with the lapped Esteban Ocon.
Robert Kubica (with BMW in 2009) and Bottas, in 2017, have also finished in the top three at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Discussion about this post