Max Verstappen wins the wild race

Verstappen overcame a five-point penalty to beat Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

Verstappen worked his way past Leclerc at Turn 1, angering the pole-sitter, earning a five-second penalty but maintaining his position at the front in the early stages.

Leclerc passed Verstappen shortly before his first stop, while Perez raced across the field after an early stop to change his front wing after a collision in the first corner.

The race was halted when McLaren’s Lando Norris suffered a severe accident on the third lap, and again after Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell collided just after the half-distance.

Perez and Leclerc swapped places, just as Verstappen caught up with them. Verstappen then passed both to score 18 goals^y Season win. Perez was in second place when Leclerc spun off the field, but Leclerc re-passed him on the final lap to deny Red Bull a 1-2 win.

2023 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix results

How the 2023 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix evolved

Polesitter Leclerc was unable to maintain his advantage during the short race into Turn 1, with Verstappen pushing him wide at Turn 1 to take the lead. Moments later, Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) both spun, and Perez needed a new front wing on his Red Bull, as did Alonso after being pressured in the run-off by Valtteri Bottas (whose Alfa Romeo spot was fired). . behind Perez). Sainz dropped to 17th place^y.

Russell finished third, ahead of Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Alex Albon (Williams). Logan Sargeant (Williams) passed Kevin Magnussen (Haas) for sixth place on the Strip Circuit on the opening lap, ahead of a virtual safety car to pick up debris.

The race turned green again on lap three, with Verstappen leading by 1.8 seconds over Leclerc, but only until Turn 12 when Norris crashed, just missing McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, as his left rear wheel appeared to fail. This triggered a safety car period, during which Sainz and Lance Stroll (Aston) made “free” pit stops for hard tyres.

The race resumed on lap seven, with Verstappen leapfrogging Leclerc – who had complained about being overtaken by a Red Bull before jumping on the gas – ahead of the duo of Russell, Gasly and Williams. Verstappen then received a 5-second penalty for forcing Leclerc off the track.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon snatched seventh from Magnussen, followed by Piastri after replacing eighth on lap 11. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who like Piastri was on hard tyres, then passed Magnussen for ninth. Ocon, Piastri and Hamilton passed Sargeant on lap 15.

Leclerc reached Verstappen’s DRS range just before the third distance, and Russell was the first rider to enter the pits on lap 16.

Leclerc DRS passed Verstappen at Turn 14 on lap 17, before Verstappen made his first stop and served his five-point penalty. Leclerc ran a long distance on his medium tyres, while Perez – who had been using new hard tires since his early stop – passed Ocon for second.

Verstappen dropped to ninth behind Russell. Hamilton and Piastri hit the wheels, sending them into the pits due to punctures.

Leclerc stopped on lap 22, putting Perez into the lead and Stroll into second place. Sainz and Alonso were next, ahead of Russell and Verstappen.

Russell DRS passed Alonso, as Verstappen did likewise while braking at turn one. Russell and Verstappen quickly caught up to Sainz, and the pair moved forward on the strip by half the distance.

Leclerc passed Stroll for second place, while Verstappen and Russell collided, leaving the Dutchman in fourth place, and a second safety car was needed to remove debris from his front wing. Russell received a 5-second penalty for causing the melee.

Perez, Stroll, Verstappen, Russell, Sainz and Alonso all pitted in second place, with Verstappen not changing his front wing and taking a place from Stroll late.

The race went green again on lap 29, with Leclerc ahead of Perez, Gasly, Piastri, Verstappen, Ocon, Stroll, Albon and Russell. Piastri passed Gasly for third place at turn five.

Perez overtook Leclerc at Turn 14 with 17 laps remaining, as Verstappen overtook Gasly to take fourth place and then overtook Piastri to take third place. Gasly and Ocon traded fifth place before Ocon pinned it, despite the team asking them to stay in their positions.

Leclerc regained the lead at Turn 14 with a bold dash on lap 36, just as Verstappen caught up with them. Verstappen passed Perez and chased down Leclerc for the win.

Verstappen overtook Leclerc with 12 laps remaining and pulled away. Leclerc outdid himself seven laps before the end, handing the runner-up position to Perez.

Verstappen dropped back to try to help Perez, but Leclerc snatched second place from Perez just a few corners from the finish line.

The penalized Russell was 4th on the road, ahead of Ocon, Stroll and Sainz – but dropped to 8th due to the extra 5.

2023 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix fastest laps