Nov 4 (Reuters) – Formula One statistics for this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil, the 20th round of the championship.
Lap distance: 4.309km. Total distance: 305.879km (71 laps)
2025 pole position: Lando Norris (Britain) McLaren one minute 09.511 seconds
2025 winner: Norris
Race lap record: Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Mercedes 1:10.540 seconds (2018)
Start time: 1700 GMT/1400 local
BRAZIL
Brazil first hosted a grand prix at anti-clockwise Interlagos, one of the shortest circuits on the calendar with 15 corners, in 1973.
Four current drivers have won in Brazil: Lewis Hamilton (2016, 2018, 2021), Max Verstappen (2019, 2023, 2024), George Russell (2022), Norris (2025).
The flowing bowl-like circuit is named after Brazilian driver Jose Carlos Pace, who won in 1975 and died in 1977.
Sunday will be the 43rd world championship grand prix hosted by the circuit, 53rd in Brazil.
Michael Schumacher won four times in Sao Paulo, a record that Hamilton and Verstappen can equal.
Two Brazilian drivers will be in their home race – Gabriel Bortoleto for Audi while Rafael Camara will be making his F1 debut for Haas after the departure of Esteban Ocon. The last Brazilian to win at home was Felipe Massa for Ferrari in 2008.
The last time two Brazilians were on the grid together was 2016.
There is always a high chance of a safety car, with wet conditions also likely.
Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli was second at Interlagos last year, the best result of the Italian’s rookie season before he became a race winner and youngest world champion in 2026.
McLaren and Ferrari are tied on nine wins each at Interlagos.
DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
After Antonelli won the title in Mexico last weekend, the battle now is for second place overall. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is currently runner-up, 119 points behind the Italian, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton a further two points behind.
Antonelli’s teammate George Russell is fourth, nine points behind Hamilton, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc five adrift of Russell.
CONSTRUCTORS’ TITLE
Mercedes are 126 points clear of Ferrari in the constructors’ standings with a maximum 172 still to be won and 129 after Brazil.
The title will be won this weekend if Mercedes extend their lead by four points but Ferrari have outscored Mercedes in the last four races.
RACE WINS
Six drivers have won races this season: Antonelli nine, including five in a row early on. Russell and Verstappen three each, Norris two and Hamilton and Charles Leclerc one apiece.
Antonelli won in China, Japan, Miami, Canada, Monaco, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Texas. Russell in Australia, Austria and Azerbaijan. Norris won in Hungary and the Netherlands, Hamilton in Barcelona and Leclerc in Britain. Verstappen won the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, Singapore and Mexico.
Mercedes have won 12 of 19 races.
Seven-time champion Hamilton has a record 106 victories from 399 starts and with three teams. Verstappen has won 74 grands prix and is third on the all-time list behind Hamilton and Michael Schumacher (91).
POLE POSITION
Mercedes have been on pole 12 times this season — Russell in Australia, Canada, Barcelona, Austria and Azerbaijan, Antonelli in China, Japan, Miami, Monaco, Britain, Belgium and Texas. Norris was on pole in Hungary, the Netherlands and Spain. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly took pole in Italy, Verstappen in Malaysia and Singapore and Hamilton in Mexico.
Hamilton has a record 105 career poles and last Sunday’s was his first since Hungary in 2023.
MILESTONE
Sunday will be Hamilton’s 400th grand prix. The 41-year-old’s first was in Australia in 2007.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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