F1 qualifying LIVE: Lewis Hamilton eyes first pole position of 2022 at Brazilian GP

Jump to contentSign up to our newslettersSubscribeNewsSportsVoicesCultureLifestyleTravelPremiumCloseLewis Hamilton given honorary citizenship of BrazilLewis Hamilton is targeting his first victory of 2022 at the penultimate race of the season as F1 returns to Interlagos for the Brazilian Grand Prix – and it’s a sprint weekend.The Mercedes star, a three-time winner in Sao Paulo, won in stunning style from the back of the grid last year and will be hopeful of a strong showing as he aims to maintain his record of winning a race in every season he’s competed in Formula 1.Max Verstappen, meanwhile, is eyeing his 15th victory of the season while Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez is five points clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the battle for second in the Drivers Championship.The event is also the third and final sprint weekend of the season, meaning a change in the usual schedule. Verstappen has won the two previous sprints this season, in Imola and Austria.1668192315’I feel like now I’m one of you,’ beamed a bright and blue Lewis Hamilton, radiating unparalleled pride as he received his Brazilian citizenship in the nation’s capital this week. A tale which started with World Championship agony at Interlagos as a rookie 15 years ago – followed by boos from the grandstands 12 months on as he snatched glory from Felipe Massa’s grasp – has come full circle in something akin to fairytale fashion.Now idolised and adored, the seven-time world champion – born and bred in Stevenage, 30 miles north of London, lest we forget – has taken Brazil to his heart but, of greater gravity, is how the country has taken Hamilton to their heart. Because, quite frankly, this fondness for Britain’s greatest racing driver was as intangible as it was improbable at the start of his Formula 1 career.On Hamilton’s first F1 visit to the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in 2007, an unprecedented debut title triumph was cruelly taken away from him, with a gearbox issue demoting his stricken McLaren to the back of the field. Instead, to the jubilation of Ferrari fans – supporting the Scuderia, represented by Brazilian star Massa – Kimi Raikkonen denied both Hamilton and team-mate Fernando Alonso amid a year of scandal and controversy.Roll on to 2008 and the equation was much the same heading into the final race: Hamilton’s Championship was in his hands, with a fifth-place finish all that was required. Massa, as Brazil yearned for a first world champion in 17 years, was his closest challenger.Only there was more to it than simple on-track mathematics. Hamilton had been subject of vitriolic racial abuse throughout the season, from the stands in Barcelona pre-season testing to language on a Spanish fan website in the week leading up to the season finale. At a sponsor’s function mere days before his crowning moment, Hamilton was handed a toy black cat – a symbol of bad luck in Brazil. The story of how black cats and boos have come full circle with hero-status and citizenship for Lewis Hamilton in Brazil Kieran Jackson11 November 2022 18:451668191535Max Verstappen has criticised the sprint race concept ahead of the final Saturday dash of the season this weekend in Brazil. The two-time world champion won both sprints in Imola and Austria earlier this season, as well as the first ever sprint race at Silverstone last year.But despite his successes, the Red Bull star believes the fact that the finishing order in Saturday’s 100km dash sets up the grid for the grand prix on Sunday results in drivers unwilling to take risks.’Every time I do these [sprint] races, it’s about ‘don’t get damage, make sure you stay in the top three,” said Verstappen. ‘For me, that’s not really a race, because you go into the main race and you know there are way more points available anyway, you just risk a bit more there.’You do another start, which is exciting, but it’s only really people who are out of position that move forward because only you put a tyre on that just lasts a whole stint and not much happens.’ The 25-year-old prefers the traditional weekend format ahead of the final sprint of the season this weekend at Interlagos, insisting the extra race is not needed.’I don’t understand what the problem is for that, because we’ve had so many exciting races, so you don’t need to add one-third of a race distance,’ Verstappen said. ‘Everyone is so careful anyway, because if you are fighting for third and you have a little touch and you drop to last, you know your Sunday is going to be tough. Probably you won’t risk it, so that’s not really a race.’ Max Verstappen criticises sprint race concept ahead of Brazilian Grand PrixKieran Jackson11 November 2022 18:321668191157Lewis Hamilton is determined to haul Mercedes above Ferrari in the constructors’ championship to help 1,200 team employees battle the UK’s cost-of-living crisis.Mercedes head into this weekend’s penultimate round of the season in Brazil 40 points adrift of second-placed Ferrari with Max Verstappen’s all-conquering Red Bull team already crowned champions.However, Mercedes staff at the team’s headquarters in Brackley, Northamptonshire, will land a substantially bigger end-of-year bonus if Hamilton and team-mate George Russell can take the runners-up slot. Due to the nature of Formula One’s rules, Hamilton’s team would lose five per cent of wind tunnel testing time – required to develop their car – if they usurp Ferrari.But speaking in Interlagos, the seven-time world champion said: ‘I know how important finishing second is for the team, and everyone back at the factory, in terms of bonuses, especially at a time when energy prices have gone through the roof and living costs in the UK have sky rocketed.’I can see how impactful and important that is for them, but also how hard we have had to dig to catch up. I know it would be an amazing feeling. If I am being realistic, Ferrari have an amazing car – I don’t know what happened last weekend in Mexico – but it is most likely they will be back at the front here.’So, it will be no easy feat to beat them. But if we did, it would be an amazing comeback and it also creates that narrative of sending them into the winter knowing that we mean business.’ Mercedes trail second-placed Ferrari by 40 points ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix Kieran Jackson11 November 2022 18:251668190815McLaren have struggled to match the speed of Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes this season though, yet Norris is the best of the rest and currently positioned seventh in the Driver Standings.But before the weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix, Norris divulged that he had indeed spoken to Christian Horner’s team before signing his extension, as well as ‘a few other people.”It’s more just I was coming to the end of my contract, and it wasn’t like we (Red Bull and I) were talking heavily,’ Norris said.’I literally said, it was just, everyone always tries to speak to all teams at some point, so I spoke to them, I spoke to a few other people. A chat’s a chat, it’s not like, ‘what we can do straight away?’ Just keeping in touch, things like that, it’s as simple as that sometimes.’It was just coming to the end of the contract, you see what options are available, you just kind of find out what’s possible, what might be possible over the next few years.’ Lando Norris reveals Red Bull talks before signing McLaren dealKieran Jackson11 November 2022 18:201668190095The seven-time Formula 1 world champion, alongside the likes of Williams, Andy Murray, Steph Curry and Gareth Bale, is investing in Woods and Rory McIlroy’s new company – with the first project a virtual pro golf tour scheduled for 2024.Mercedes star Hamilton is not the only F1 driver involved too, with McLaren’s Lando Norris, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Williams’ Alex Albon also listed as investors. While specific details on the project are few and far between at this early stage, TMRW’s overarching goal is merging technology with sports.’You know, a lot of these athletes have really embraced technology, the way in which they train and prepare and that sort of thing,’ Mike McCarley, founder and CEO, said.’And I think, you know, there was a consensus around a clear vision for how technology can really help make sports more accessible and culturally relevant to new groups of fans and I think in particular kids and families.’Hamilton has joined a host of star-studded names from the world of sport investing in Woods and Rory McIlroy’s new venture: TMRW Sports Kieran Jackson11 November 2022 18:081668189495The seven-time world champion’s current deal with the Silver Arrows – a team he has been with since leaving McLaren ahead of the 2013 season – expires at the end of the 2023 campaign.The 37-year-old, despite his numerous interests outside of racing, has been vocal about lengthening his stay in Formula 1 and Wolff revealed after the Mexican Grand Prix that fresh terms will be agreed after the 2022 season concludes in Abu Dhabi in two weeks’ time.’We haven’t started having talks, we want to definitely finish the season and then find some quiet time over the winter like we have done last time around, that literally started in the winter holidays and lasted over two months,’ Wolff said.’We haven’t done that. But he’s much more than a driver to us now. Although we’re not talking about a career end, it’s also important to speak about his role as an ambassador for Mercedes and the many sponsors that we have, and the implication he can have in our wider audience.’ The seven-time world champion’s current contract with Mercedes expires at the end of next season Kieran Jackson11 November 2022 17:581668188115The Briton was speaking following Max Verstappen and the Red Bull team’s Sky boycott at the Mexican Grand Prix, which came a week after pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz said Hamilton was ‘robbed’ of an eighth world championship at last year’s much-debated season finale in Abu Dhabi.Confronting the issue after claiming victory in Mexico, Verstappen said: ‘You cannot live in the past and you have to move on. Social media is a very toxic place and if you are constantly being like that live on TV then you are making it worse instead of trying to make it better.’Former race director Michael Masi said he received death threats following his decision to let lapped cars pass the safety car on the final lap in Abu Dhabi, meaning Verstappen had a clear run at Hamilton on much faster tyres. FIA boss Mohammed ben Sulayem hits out at ‘sustained toxicity’ on social mediaKieran Jackson11 November 2022 17:351668186315Netflix missed out on F1 broadcast rights in the United States last month after showing an interest in taking the contract from ESPN, a report states.The streaming giant were, according to the Wall Street Journal, keen to acquire the TV rights to Formula 1 and capitalise on their immensely popular behind-the-scenes series Drive to Survive.While the documentary show has been renewed for another two seasons – with the fifth season detailing the 2022 campaign expected to air in March 2023 – Netflix did not manage to gain the TV rights stateside, with ESPN renewing their deal for another three years.F1 also has a long-term deal in place in the United Kingdom, with their contract with Sky Sports lengthening to 2029 – as announced in September.However, the WSJ report adds that Netflix is actively considering moving into live sports streaming and holds an interest in the UK and France rights to the ATP Tennis tour, as well as the UK rights to the WTA tennis tour. Kieran Jackson11 November 2022 17:051668184426Sergio Perez remains on top after an hour of running in first practice – just 0.004 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc! And Max Verstappen is 0.004 seconds further back too! Such slight margins. Carlos Sainz is in fourth, 0.106 secs behind Perez, with Lewis Hamilton fifth and Mercedes team-mate George Russell sixth. 7-10: Vettel, Schumacher, Bottas, Gasly Daniel Ricciardo, rather gloomily, down in LAST place! McLaren team-mate Lando Norris also unimpressive in 15th… Kieran Jackson11 November 2022 16:331668183487On softs, Sergio Perez now leads the way at the top of the standings – just 0.008 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen! In third, Carlos Sainz – 0.251 seconds behind Perez – with Mick Schumacher a surprise name in fourth and Charles Leclerc fifth. 6-10: Bottas, Alonso, Albon, Gasly, Zhou.’Feels like the rears are just floating around, no grip,’ complains Lewis Hamilton over team radio. He’s currently all the way down in P17, on mediums. George Russell in 15th…Just a few more laps to go now… Kieran Jackson11 November 2022 16:18Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inRegistration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in