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F1 – Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying LIVE: Latest updates as Lewis Hamilton looks to challenge for pole position with Carlos Sainz fastest in free practice one

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Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for all the latest news, updates and timings from qualifying at the Brazilian Grand Prix. 

Ferraris come to the party

Hamilton is quick but he then sticks a slide in. He’s complaining about track temperatures dropping on the radio.

He goes fourth. Russell goes second, .15 down on Verstappen.

Leclerc is out of danger into fifth. Sainz from bottom to second, less than a tenth down on Verstappen.

The Haas drivers make their ways out

Sainz can only make 10th. There are going to be a few shocks this session I feel.

The two Haas drivers are pretty much the only ones out now. Hulkenberg goes eighth, Magnussen ninth.

Ready for the second round of laps.

Red Bull leading the way early on

Hass are the only team leaving their drivers in. Don’t think rain is coming, apparently.

Verstappen leads the way but Perez is quicker in the first sector. Max puts in a 1:10.1, Perez 1:10.5.

Hamilton logs a 1:10.5, Norris 1.10.3. Russell is well done.

Q2 gets started

There were reports of rain earlier but I think we’re OK… for now?

Anyway, Q2 is underway. Cars are naturally eager to get out before any potential rain comes.

Light spots in the pitlane, is the report from the Red Bull wall.

Tsunoda not happy with Hamilton

Tsunoda is out by 0.044 and he’s FUMING at Lewis Hamilton on the radio.

Not sure why, but there’s a lot of frustration at drivers not staying left on the way out, where others are allowed to overtake.

We’ll see if anything comes of that.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 03: Yuki Tsunoda of Japan driving the (22) Scuderia AlphaTauri AT04 in the Pitlane during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 03, 2023 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session at the Interlagos racetrack in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix will take place on Sunday. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Q1 classification

ELIMINATED:

Q1 comes to an end

Alex Albon goes fourth. Blimey.

Leclerc and Piastri stay in. Both Alpha Romeos are out.

Drops of rain…

Hamilton goes up to fourth. Russell… fastest. Cool.

Hulkenberg goes third! Ricciardo is down there now. Going to be close…

Nope, he’s out.

Verstappen goes second. Ocon saves himself in 14th!

Many drivers going for another lap

Hamilton and Russell are both taking new tyres. Mercedes aren’t confident with Lewis’ eighth.

Zhou Guanyu remains bottom and Bottas is 12th.

Many of the drivers are going to go again here so hold fire…

Russell in trouble

Leclerc goes quickest with a 1:10.4. Sainz follows him up… four tenths down.

Alonso goes third on the fresh wheels and Piastri then goes second. Nice.

Here comes Perez then. He needs a lap. More than good enough – he goes fifth.

The Alfa Romeos are out for the first time so we’ll see where they sit. George Russell is 12th…

He may need some new tyres.

More struggles for Perez

Perez is in the pits after one lap and finds himself in the elimination zone early doors.

Russell is going to be investigated after the session for not leaving enough space leaving the pits.

10 minutes to go

Verstappen is struggling

Leclerc and Sainz both go eighth within moments of each other but that’s interesting from the McLarens.

Hamilton goes second with a 1:10.8.

‘My car is jumping around like a kangeroo’, Verstappen says.

The first times are coming in

No stopping in the pits, of course.

Risk of rain is 60 per cent, race control says.

Everyone is out on the track and the first times are starting to come in. Piastri clocks a 1:11.4 first up.

A few are narrowly quicker and Norris put in a 1:10.6. Verstappen is three tenths off.

Q1 is underway

Here we go then! The shootout begins.

Oscar Piastri is at the front of the pack on used softs.

18 minutes in Q1.

Qualifying to start in five minutes

We have a start time and it’s 6:15 GMT. So a few minutes.

Verstappen and Perez are speaking on the Mexican’s future and neither seem too happy with all the talk that’s going on.

Pressure on Perez

Sergio Perez is second in the Drivers’ Championship but he’s a looooong way behind his team-mate, Max Verstappen.

Max has won I think 30 of the last 38 races, and Perez’s season has been poor. He caused his own retirement in his home country of Mexico last week and has a number of drivers breathing down his neck.

One of those drivers is Daniel Ricciardo, who out-qualified Perez last week. He does have a contract next year.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 02: Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 02, 2023 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 03: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Scuderia AlphaTauri prepares to drive in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 03, 2023 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

Weather a talking point

Oh, apparently we don’t have a time to start. Great communication this.

Interlagos is one of the most famous tracks on the circuit and it’s also well-known for its interesting weather. It was here last year that Kevin Magnussen took pole.

People are sweeping the track after an event earlier on. There were three punctures in practice.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 3: Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL60 Mercedes during practice and qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 3, 2023 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)

Qualifying delayed by 15 minutes

Five minutes to go, then

Karun Chandhok has just made a good point on Sky that it’s not essential to qualfy well here given the overtaking opportunities on track.

Oh, it’s been delayed due to debris on the track. 15 minutes of a delay, so we’ll start at 6:15GMT.

Practice report

Full throttle for two thirds of the track and the most overtakes of any track last season.

Gneuinely really hard to predict this one. It’s a big weekend with practices, qualifying, sprint races and the big one.

Here’s the report from practice.

Hamilton vows to end drought

It’s been 42 races now without a win for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

He’s in good form, though, and will be hoping he can challenge today.

‘I came away empty-handed last year so I don’t plan on that this year,’ said Hamilton going into qualifying.

I guess time will tell. Read more below.

Russell to do it again?

Many drivers didn’t use the softs in practice so the standings are a bit all over the place. It’s hard to know what to expect in this one.

Last year here, George Russell won his first ever race in F1 ahead of Lewis Hamilton with Max Verstappen sixth.

How he’d love to repeat that today.

Mercedes' British driver George Russell celebrates with team members after winning the Formula One Brazil Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace racetrack, also known as Interlagos, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 13, 2022. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP) (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)
Mercedes' British driver George Russell celebrates in the podium after winning the Formula One Brazil Grand Prix, at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace racetrack, also known as Interlagos, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 13, 2022. (Photo by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP) (Photo by NELSON ALMEIDA/AFP via Getty Images)

FP1 standings

I suppose the best place to start would be FP1, with Carlos Sainz quickest earlier on today.

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, of Spain, arrives for a practice session for the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Marcelo Chello)
Formula One F1 - Brazilian Grand Prix - Jose Carlos Pace Circuit, Sao Paulo, Brazil - November 3, 2023 Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. during practice REUTERS/Carla Carniel

Hello!

Good evening one and all and welcome to Mail Sport’s live coverage for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

We’ve got qualifying on a Friday again due to the oh-so-popular sprint race tomorrow and we’re still over in America in Brazil.

A few contenders today, including Lewis Hamilton who continues to look better and better in his Mercedes, Charles Leclerc who took pole last week, and of course the world champion Max Verstappen.

We’ll be underway at 6pm GMT.

Technicians work on the car of Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen during a free practice at the Jose Carlos Pace racetrack in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 3, 2023, ahead of the Formula One Brazil Grand Prix. (Photo by DOUGLAS MAGNO / AFP) (Photo by DOUGLAS MAGNO/AFP via Getty Images)
Key Updates

  • Q1 classification
  • FP1 standings

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