formula 1 Motorsport

What time does F1 GP Brazil 2022 qualifying start?

Qualifying for the F1 GP of Brazil begins at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11. Qualifying on a Friday? Yep, it is in fact a sprint weekend: qualifying is held in Brazil on Friday, the sprint race is on Saturday. There is also a time difference between South America and the Netherlands. For us, everything starts four hours later than in Sao Paolo. In this article, we tell you the times of the 2022 F1 GP Brazil, among other things.

Both championships are decided: Max Verstappen has secured his second world title and Red Bull is unbeatable in the constructors. So how exciting will the final two races in Brazil and Abu Dhabi be?

Times of the F1 GP Brazil 2022

Check out the schedule with all the times of the 2022 F1 GP Brazil below.

Date	Session	Dutch time
Friday, November 11	1st free practice	16.30 – 17.30
Friday, November 11	Qualifying	20.00 – 21.00
Saturday, November 12	2nd free practice	16.30 – 17.30
Saturday, November 12	Sprint	20.30 – 21.30
Sunday, November 13	Race	19.00 – 21.00

What happened during the 2021 GP of Brazil?

The 2021 race weekend in Brazil began tumultuously: title contender Lewis Hamilton was fastest in qualifying but was eliminated from the results after his DRS rear wing did not comply with the rules. The FIA also handed out a 50,000 euro fine to Max Verstappen for touching the Mercedes’ rear wing in the parc fermé.

The sprint race fell to Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas. Behind them, Verstappen racked up valuable World Cup points with a second-place finish. The biggest spectacle, however, came from Hamilton. After his disqualification, he had to come from the last starting spot. Still, the unleashed Briton managed to finish the sprint race from the last starting spot to take fifth place.

Another setback for Hamilton at the start of the main race: because Mercedes had changed its engine earlier, he received a five-place grid penalty. Starting from tenth on the grid, the Briton would once again drive an impressive race.

Titans battle between title rivals

At the start, Verstappen easily steered his Red Bull past Bottas’ Mercedes. Sergio Pérez was also quick to pass Bottas. The danger, however, came from Hamilton, who had already moved up to third position after just five laps. After an exciting duel for second place, Pérez had to give in to Hamilton.

The Mercedes driver then went hunting for Max Verstappen. After the second series of pit stops, the two title rivals, now on a new set of hard tires, made it a true titanic battle. On lap 48 of the 71, Hamilton chose to attack on the outside in Turn 4, but Verstappen refused to relinquish the lead. As a result, Verstappen forced himself and Hamilton to the side of the asphalt, something the race control decided to leave unpunished after investigation.

It took until lap 59 for Hamilton to make another attempt. Once again it was tussling in Turn 4, but this time it hit the mark. Hamilton broke Verstappen’s resistance, crowning a supreme race weekend and reducing his deficit in the World Cup to 14 points with his 101st win of his F1 career.

What can we expect this time in Brazil?

Friday of this Brazilian race weekend will be important. In just one hour of free practice, the drivers must find their ideal setup for qualifying. In it, the starting grid will be determined for Saturday’s sprint race. The result of that race, over a distance of 100 kilometers, determines the starting order for Sunday’s main race.

Many drivers already know where they stand next year: contract extension in Formula One or a “position elsewhere. For some drivers, it is still pretty exciting whether they have performed convincingly enough this season. So they will do everything they can to get a good result. For example, it is not yet clear whether Mick Schumacher will continue to be a driver at Haas F1 next season. Williams is saying goodbye to Nicolas Latifi after this year, but has not officially named a second driver besides Alex Albon.

F1 GP of Brazil: weather forecasts

It promises to be a soaking wet race weekend in Sao Paolo. A 90 percent chance of rain is forecast for Friday, the day of free practice and qualifying. Saturday, when the sprint race is run, it should be a little better. Still, there is a 50 percent chance of showers. For Sunday, the real race day, weather services predict a temperature of about 29 degrees, a 60 percent chance of rain and possibly even thunderstorms.

What should you know about the track in Brazil?

The circuit in the hills of Sao Paolo has officially been called Autódromo José Carlos Pace since 1985. A tribute to the Brazilian driver who won his only Formula One victory at this track in 1975 in front of a frenzied home crowd. Because of its location between two lakes, many enthusiasts also know the track as Interlagos: “between the lakes.

The first three Formula One races at the circuit were won by Brazilian drivers. Emerson Fittipaldi triumphed in ’73 and ’74, Pace won in ’75. Stricter safety regulations meant that no F1 races were held between 1980 and 1990. The original track was nearly 8 kilometers long, but was shortened to 4.3 kilometers and given modern amenities.

Enthusiasts praise the circuit for its distinctive elevation changes and angled turn combinations. In addition, the very long straight along start/finish makes overtaking in the first corner quite possible. Pit stops you want to avoid as a driver: Interlagos has the longest pit lane on the calendar.

Autódromo José Carlos Pace in facts and figures:

Official name: Formula 1 Heineken Grande Prêmio de São Paolo 2022
Location: Autódromo José Carlos Pace
Circuit length: 4.309 km
Number of laps: 71
Number of turns: 15
Total race distance: 305.879 km
Lap record: 1:10:540 Valtteri Bottas (2018)

Ride around with Fernando Alonso? This is how it looked at the start of the race in 2012: