Live: Piastri gaining in Brazil, as changing weather causes F1 chaos

Live: F1 São Paulo Grand Prix

By Michael Doyle

38/71: Lewis Hamilton comes in for a second stop, soft tyres

By Michael Doyle

Lewis Hamilton has a new set of soft tyres.

As he comes out of the pits, he is lapped by race leader Lando Norris.

38/71: Red Bull call team orders

By Michael Doyle

Isack Hadjar has been told to let Max Verstappen through, and the Frenchman does what he is told.

Lando Norris now leads Verstappen by nine seconds, with 43 laps to go.

36/71: Norris has a big lead, Verstappen catching teammate

By Michael Doyle

Lando Norris has really started to put his foot down.

His lead over Isack Hadjar is closing in on eight seconds.

Hadjar has bigger issues. His teammate Max Verstappen has taken three seconds out of him in about four laps, and they are about to battle for second.

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: 107 — 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