The British George Russell graduated as the new winner of the Formula 1 after winning the 2022 edition of the Brazilian Grand Prix, penultimate date of the championship. It was double for Mercedes since his compatriot came behind Lewis Hamilton. The last step of the podium was the Spanish Carlos Sainz ( Ferrari).
Russell, who started on pole position after winning Saturday’s qualifying race, held the lead throughout and went on to claim his first victory in the specialty in his 81st Grand Prix.
Photo: Steve Etherington.
The race was marked by a crash on the first lap between the Australian Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) and the Danish Kevin Magnussen (Haas), which forced the safety car to roll until the seventh lap.
When the race resumed, the Dutch champion Max Verstappen ( Red Bull), who started third, tried to overtake Hamilton, although he ended up colliding with the Briton’s car and had to go to the pits to change the front wing, losing a good part of his chances of victory.
In the fight for third position, Sergio Czech Perez (Red Bull) held bronze for much of the race, although he ran out of steam in the final stretch and eventually finished seventh behind teammate Verstappen.
The two-time champion helped the Monegasque charles leclerc (Ferrari) by refusing to return sixth place to Pérez, who had previously let him pass, despite the team asking him to do so if he could not pass the Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Alpine). “I have given you my reasons”, Verstappen pointed out after the reconciliation and the harsh statements of the Mexican, who publicly snatched himself saying “I’m surprised, I don’t know what happened. Everything I’ve done for him, I don’t understand his reasons, I’m very surprised; if he has two championships it’s thanks to me.”
“This is just the beginning”, Russell yelled over the team radio after being told he was the Formula 1 winner, the 113th in the sport’s history. “I knew we could do this. I might need some tissues, I’m crying.” he added.
Hamilton, winner of a record 103 races and three in Brazil, congratulated his teammate on a “incredible boost”. And then he admitted that, “he did an amazing qualifying yesterday so he really deserves it… this is an amazing result.”
The closing of the championship will be with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix November 20th.
Brazilian GP Results
POS.No.PILOTAUTOSALES.TIME/DIF.PTS.163George RussellMERCEDES711:38:34.04426two44Lewis HamiltonMERCEDES71+1,529s18355Carlos SainzFERRARI71+4,051sfifteen416charles leclercFERRARI71+8,441s12514Fernando AlonsoALPINE71+9,561s1061Max VerstappenRED BULL71+10,056s87elevensergio perezRED BULL71+14,080s6831Stephen OconALPINE71+18,690s4977Valtteri BottasALFA-ROMEO71+22,552stwo1018Lance StrollASTON-MARTIN71+23,552s1eleven5Sebastian VettelASTON-MARTIN71+26,183s01224Zhou GuangyuALFA-ROMEO71+29,325s01347Mike SchumacherHAAS71+29,899s01410Pierre GasleyALPHATAURI71+31,867s0fifteen23alexander albinWILLIAMS71+36,016s0166Nicholas LatifiWILLIAMS71+37,038s01722yuki tsunodaALPHATAURI70+1 lap0NC4lando norrisMcLarenfiftyDNF0NCtwentyKevin MagnussenHAAS0DNF0NC3Daniel RicciardoMcLaren0DNF0
AVERAGE: 186.195km/h. LAP RECORD: Russell, in 61st, in 1:13.785 at 210.238 km/h.
Drivers Championship
POS.PILOTNACAUTOPTS.1Max VerstappennedRED BULL429twocharles leclercmonFERRARI2903sergio perezMEXRED BULL2904George RussellGBRMERCEDES2655Lewis HamiltonGBRMERCEDES2406Carlos SainzESPFERRARI2. 3. 47lando norrisGBRMcLaren1138Stephen OconFRAALPINE869Fernando AlonsoESPALPINE8110Valtteri BottasFINISHALFA-ROMEO49elevenSebastian VettelGERASTON-MARTIN3612Daniel RicciardoAUSMcLaren3513Kevin MagnussenGIVEHAAS2514Pierre GasleyFRAALPHATAURI23fifteenLance StrollDOGASTON-MARTIN1416Mike SchumacherGERHAAS1217yuki tsunodaJPNALPHATAURI1218Zhou GuangyuCHNALFA-ROMEO619alexander albinTHAWILLIAMS4twentyNicholas LatifiDOGWILLIAMStwotwenty-oneNyck DeVriesnedWILLIAMStwo
Builders Cup
POS.EQUIPMENTPTS.1RED BULL719twoFERRARI5243MERCEDES5054ALPINE1675McLaren1486ALFA-ROMEO557ASTON-MARTINfifty8HAAS379ALPHATAURI3510WILLIAMS8