Russell claims Sao Paulo sprint win on fine day for Mercedes

Kevin
Magnussen
was
the
surprise
pole
holder
after
his
brilliant
qualifying
session
on
Friday,
though
the
Haas
driver,
who
had
promised
to
go
“maximum
attack”
slipped
well
down
the
grid.

Russell
qualified
third
and
delivered
a
brilliant
drive
to
claim
his
first
race
win
and
get
himself
on
pole
for
Sunday’s
grand
prix.

Carlos
Sainz
of
Ferrari
clinched
second,
though
a
five-place
penalty
should
see
Lewis
Hamilton
join
his
team-mate
at
the
front
of
the
grid,
although
the
result
will
be
subject
to
a
stewards’ enquiry.

Hamilton
will
be
investigated,
along
with
Daniel
Ricciardo
and
Zhou
Guanyu,
for
his
position
in
his
grid
box
at
the
start
of
the
sprint.

Should
he
retain
his
place
in
second,
Hamilton
–
who
is
aiming
to
equal
Michael
Schumacher
as
the
driver
with
the
most
wins
at
Interlagos
(four)
–
will
take
his
place
on
the
front
row
for
the
first
time
in
2022.

Max
Verstappen
went
out
on
mediums
instead
of
soft
tyres,
and
that
decision
backfired
as
he
dropped
from
second
to
fourth,
though
the
world
champion
will
move
up
thanks
to
Sainz’s
penalty,
which
came
as
a
result
of
the
Spaniard
clipping
the
Dutchman’s
Red
Bull.

Sergio
Perez,
Verstappen’s
team-mate,
Charles
Leclerc
and
Lando
Norris
will
start
ahead
of
Sainz,
while
Magnussen
will
have
to
settle
for
eighth.

For
Mercedes,
the
omens
are
good,
with
15
of
the
last
17
winners
at
the
Sao
Paulo
Grand
Prix
having
come
from
the
front
row,
with
eight
of
the
winners
having
started
on
pole.

SPRINT
CLASSIFICATION

George
Russell
takes
a
maiden

#F1Sprint
win!!!
????#BrazilGP
#F1
pic.twitter.com/9BTsiqJkHi

—
Formula
1
(@F1)

November
12,
2022

PROVISIONAL
CLASSIFICATION

1.
George
Russell
(Mercedes)

2.
Carlos
Sainz
(Ferrari)
+3.995

3.
Lewis
Hamilton
(Mercedes)
+4.492

4.
Max
Verstappen
(Red
Bull)
+10.494

5.
Sergio
Perez
(Red
Bull)
+11.855

6.
Charles
Leclerc
(Ferrari)
+13.133

7.
Lando
Norris
(McLaren)
+25.624

8.
Kevin
Magnussen
(Haas)
+28.768

9.
Sebastian
Vettel
(Aston
Martin)
+30.218

10.
Pierre
Gasly
(Alpha
Tauri)
+34.170