Kimi Antonelli leads early as Max Verstappen charges from 21st; Lance Stroll retires and Valtteri Bottas never starts
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The F1 São Paulo Grand Prix is taking place in wet conditions after rain continued from qualifying. Mercedes leads the constructors' championship with 630 points, ahead of Ferrari on 504, and can secure the title by scoring three more points than Ferrari. Kimi Antonelli is the drivers' championship leader with 380 points and is already champion.
Live: F1 São Paulo Grand Prix
By Michael Doyle
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Lance Stroll retires, Valtteri Bottas never started
By Michael Doyle
Aston Martin has retired Lance Stroll.
Cadillac was unable to get the rear wheel nut off Valtteri Bottas's car, and the Finn never started the grand prix.
31/71: Max Verstappen struggling with rear downforce
By Michael Doyle
Sky Sports broadcaster Ted Kravitz has reported that Max Verstappen is struggling with rear downforce. Verstappen's car appears to have an aero imbalance, and it is resulting in the Dutchman struggling to match the lap times of the two ahead — Lando Norris and Isack Hadjar.
30/71: McLaren tell Norris that more rain is coming
By Michael Doyle
Race leader Lando Norris has been told there is some rain about 10 minutes away.
24/71: Antonelli off again, Piastri up to fifth
By Michael Doyle
Kimi Antonelli has no confidence in his car.
He goes off the track again, and now Max Verstappen is up to third.
Verstappen started 21st.
Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri is up to fifth after dispatching Liam Lawson.
21/71: Isack Hadjar up to second, Antonelli struggling
By Michael Doyle
Kimi Antonelli is in serious trouble.
He has been passed by Red Bull's Isack Hadjar, and now Max Verstappen is closing in.
20/71: Kimi Antonelli spins, Lando Norris lead
By Michael Doyle
SPIN.
Kimi Antonelli has spun at the entry to the first corner.
Lando Norris leads, and he has a nice, big gap of over three seconds.
19/71: Antonelli says he has suspension issues
By Michael Doyle
Lando Norris is flying on the dry tyres, while Kimi Antonelli is having a struggle.
Norris has caught the back of the Mercedes champion. Antonelli says he feels a suspension issues.
17/71: Antonelli pits, and so does Verstappen
By Michael Doyle
Everyone is now on soft tyres.
Kimi Antonelli pits and retains the lead.
After George Russell's spin, this is the order:
Antonelli
Norris
Hadjar
Verstappen
Lawson
Piastri
Russell
16/71: George Russell spins while exiting the pits
By Michael Doyle
We have several front-runners coming in.
Kimi Antonelli stayed out.
Lando Norris, George Russell and Isack Hadjar come in for softs.
Oscar Piastri is in as well.
GEORGE RUSSELL SPINS. He spun on the pit lane exit. DISASTER.
14/71: Lewis Hamilton pits for dry tyres
By Michael Doyle
We have Lewis Hamilton in the pits.
Ferrari have taken a gamble on soft tyres as the track starts to dry.
13/71: Antonelli leads by 8 seconds, Verstappen up to fifth
By Michael Doyle
Kimi Antonelli has extended his advantage to eight seconds over Lando Norris.
George Russell has moved his Mercedes up to third, passing Isack Hadjar.
Hadjar will soon have his Red Bull teammate for company, Max Verstappen.
Liam Lawson is down to sixth, and Oscar Piastri is catching him.
7/71: Isack Hadjar passes Liam Lawson, Oscar Piastri passes Alex Albon
By Michael Doyle
Isack Hadjar has passed Liam Lawson.
The Red Bull driver was able to catch up to the struggling Kiwi and take third place.
Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri has passed Alex Albon for eighth.
6/71: Lando Norris up to second, Antonelli leads by 5 seconds
By Michael Doyle
Liam Lawson is starting to struggle.
Lawson goes wide and Lando Norris dives up the inside to snatch second place.
Race leader Kimi Antonelli has got a big gap of 5 seconds.
4-5/71: Piastri battles Verstappen
By Michael Doyle
A magnificent battle between Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen.
Verstappen made a move up the inside of Piastri, but the Australian completed the switch-back and retained eighth place.
But on lap 5, Verstappen came back at Piastri and made another pass — THIS TIME IT STICKS.
Verstappen isn't done. At the very next corner, he passes Williams driver Alex Albon for seventh.
He is a rain master.
3/71: Antonelli extends lead as Verstappen flies up the order
By Michael Doyle
Kimi Antonelli leads by 1.6 seconds over Liam Lawson.
Max Verstappen has rocketed up the order, and he passes Lewis Hamilton for ninth after the Ferrari driver went wide.
1/71: Kimi Antonelli leads Liam Lawson
By Michael Doyle
Kimi Antonelli, from second, got a lovely start.
He passes pole sitter Lando Norris for the lead.
LIAM LAWSON UP TO SECOND. Excellent from the Kiwi.
Oscar Piastri is up to eighth, after starting 10th.
Lewis Hamilton has shot up to ninth.
Max Verstappen, from 21st, is up to 12th.
RACE START: F1 São Paulo Grand Prix
By Michael Doyle
FORMATION LAP: All drivers are in the intermediate tyres
By Michael Doyle
Lando Norris has set off, leading the field on the formation lap.
Every driver is on a set of intermediate tyres.
S: softs; M: mediums; H: hards; I; intermediates; W: wets
1. I — Lando Norris, McLaren
2. I — Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
3. I — Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
4. I — Nico Hülkenberg, Audi
5. I — Isack Hadjar, Red Bull
6. I — Ollie Bearman, Haas
7. I — George Russell, Mercedes
8. I — Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
9. I — Alex Albon, Williams
10. I — Oscar Piastri, McLaren
11: I — Rafael Câmara, Haas
12. I — Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
13. I — Carlos Sainz, Williams
14. I — Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
15. I — Franco Colapinto, Alpine
16. I — Pierre Gasly, Alpine
17. I — Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
18. I — Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac
19. I — Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi
20. I — Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
21. I — Max Verstappen, Red Bull
22. I — Sergio Pérez, Cadillac
George Russell is not expecting dry tyres today
By Michael Doyle
Here are the thoughts of Mercedes driver George Russell, speaking to Sky Sports.
It feels very different to yesterday, when it was wetter but hotter. They are expecting it to stay like this — I would be very surprised if we see slicks today.
Issues for Valtteri Bottas with rear wheel nut
By Michael Doyle
There is an issue at Cadillac.
They cannot get a wheel nut off the rear right of Valtteri Bottas's car.
The television broadcast has shown a member of Cadillac hitting the wheel nut with a hammer.
Hopefully they can fix it before the start of the race, otherwise, Valtteri will be using that set of tyres for the entire race.
Hoping for a big performance from Oscar
By Michael Doyle
Thanks for the blog. Hoping both McLarens can show some pace, with Piastri making some places up ....although I am preparing for the worst.
- Ashley
G'day Ashley.
We could be in for a wild morning.
It is wet, so there should be some chaos this morning.
Bring it on!
What do Mercedes need to do to win the F1 constructors' championship
By Michael Doyle
The F1 constructors' championship can be secured today.
Mercedes have been runaway leaders for the entire season, and today they can seal a title that has really felt like theirs for months.
Constructors' championship standings
1: 630— Mercedes
2: 504 — Ferrari
The equation is simple — score three more points than Ferrari.
If Mercedes can manage that, then they will be champions.
It is a very likely scenario with Ferrari duo Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc taking grid penalties, while Kimi Antonelli and George Russell are starting high up the grid.
Kimi Antonelli goes off the track on his lap to the grid
By Michael Doyle
We have early drama!
World champion Kimi Antonelli has just gone off the track, 40 minutes before the start of the race.
The pit lane is open, and the drivers need to get their cars to the grid.
But the slippery conditions have caught out the new champion, with Antonelli going off the track and nearly getting stuck in the grass.
"Wow, man, it's undrivable."
He was able to find an escape road and eventually get back to the pits, but it took a while.
It is wet in São Paulo
By Michael Doyle
There could be carnage this morning.
The rain from qualifying yesterday continued, and there has been plenty of rain on Sunday (local time).
We appear set for a wet start.
F1 drivers' and constructors' championship standings
By Michael Doyle
Drivers' championship standings
1: 380 — Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes CHAMPION
2: 261— Max Verstappen, Red Bull
3: 259 — Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
4: 250 — George Russell, Mercedes
5: 245 — Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
6: 221 — Lando Norris, McLaren
7: 144 — Oscar Piastri, McLaren
8: 107 — Isack Hadjar, Red Bull
9: 83 — Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls/Red Bull
10: 42 — Pierre Gasly, Alpine
11: 38 — Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
12: 27 — Franco Colapinto, Alpine
13: 23 — Oliver Bearman, Haas
14: 14 — Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi
15: 13 — Nico Hülkenberg, Audi
16: 7 — Esteban Ocon, Haas
17: 7 — Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
18: 7 — Carlos Sainz, Williams
19: 5 — Alex Albon, Williams
20: 1 — Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls
21: 1 — Ryo Hirakawa, Haas
22: 0 — Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
23: 0 — Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac
24: 0 — Sergio Pérez, Cadillac
Constructors' championship standings
1: 630— Mercedes
2: 504 — Ferrari
3: 382 — Red Bull
4: 365 — McLaren
5: 108 — Racing Bulls
6: 69 — Alpine
7: 31 — Haas
8: 27 — Audi
9: 12 — Williams
10: 7 — Aston Martin
11: 0 — Cadillac
Catch up on yesterday's qualifying session
By Michael Doyle
Need a refresh on how qualifying went yesterday?
Oscar Piastri will start the race in 10th spot after a calamitous wet-weather qualifying session shook up the grid in São Paulo.
Tap the link below and get up to speed.
What time does the F1 São Paulo Grand Prix begin?
By Michael Doyle
Here is when the F1 São Paulo Grand Prix begins in your state or territory.
4am AEDT: NSW, Victoria, ACT, Tasmania
3:30am: ACDT: South Australia
3am AEST: Queensland
2:30am ACST: Northern Territory
1am AWST: Western Australia
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