Verstappen extends championship lead but Bottas gets Brazil pole with sprint success

Red
Bull
driver
Verstappen
started
in
first
after
Lewis
Hamilton
had
his
result
from
Friday’s
qualifying
session
–
in
which
he
went
fastest
–
ruled
out
due
to
a
DRS
infringement
but
was
denied
the
maximum
three
points
by
Bottas.

The
Dutchman
now
holds
a
21-point
advantage
over
reigning
champion
Hamilton,
who
recovered
to
fifth
after
being
forced
to
start
from
the
back
of
the
grid.

However,
a
five-place
grid
penalty
for
taking
a
new
engine
means
Hamilton
will
get
away
from
10th
on
Sunday.

POLE
FOR
VB
IN
BRAZIL

LEWIS
STORMS
THROUGH
THE
FIELD
TO
TAKE
P5

pic.twitter.com/ao5ZqoaKtP

—
Mercedes-AMG
PETRONAS
F1
Team
(@MercedesAMGF1)

November
13,
2021

Bottas
took
the
lead
into
turn
one
as
Verstappen
complained
of
a
gear
sync
issue
and
the
championship
leader
was
down
to
third
after
going
wide
at
turn
four.

Verstappen
regained
second
from
Carlos
Sainz
on
lap
four
and
he
gradually
ate
into
Bottas’ lead
before
letting
his
tyres
cool
ahead
of
a
late
push.

However,
Bottas
was
able
to
keep
Verstappen
out
of
DRS
range
to
cling
on
for
pole,
with
Sainz
holding
off
Sergio
Perez
to
take
third
place.

Bottas’
performance
provides
a
slight
reprieve
for
Hamilton,
who
showed
he
will
still
be
a
factor
on
Sunday
by
getting
from
20th
to
fifth
in
the
space
of
24
laps.

PROVISIONAL
CLASSIFICATION

1.
Valtteri
Bottas
(Mercedes)

2.
Max
Verstappen
(Red
Bull)
+1.170s

3.
Carlos
Sainz
(Ferrari)
+18.723s

4.
Sergio
Perez
(Red
Bull)
+19.787s

5.
Lewis
Hamilton
(Mercedes)
+20.872s*

6.
Lando
Norris
(McLaren)
+22.558s

7.
Charles
Leclerc
(Ferrari)
+25.056s

8.
Pierre
Gasly
(AlphaTauri)
+34.158s

9.
Esteban
Ocon
(Alpine)
+34.632s

10.
Sebastian
Vettel
(Aston
Martin)
+34.867s

*Hamilton
has
a
five-place
grid
penalty

CHAMPIONSHIP
STANDINGS

Drivers

1.
Max
Verstappen
(Red
Bull)
314.5

2.
Lewis
Hamilton
(Mercedes)
293.5

3.
Valtteri
Bottas
(Mercedes)
188

4.
Sergio
Perez
(Red
Bull)
165

5.
Lando
Norris
(McLaren)
150

Constructors

1.
Mercedes
481.5

2.
Red
Bull
479.5

3.
Ferrari
269.5

4.
McLaren
255

5.
Alpine
106