The Brazilian Grand Prix has produced some of F1’s best moments, such as Fernando Alonso’s first world title in 2005 and Max Verstappen’s last-to-first masterclass just last year. The mix of a sprint race and the uncertain weather means the 2025 Grand Prix looks to be a thriller.
The Grand Prix happens at the Interlagos Circuit, which was built in 1940 and has hosted F1 since 1973. The main characteristic of Interlagos is its hilliness, as it wasn’t built on flat ground. This demands more from both the cars’ engines and the drivers themselves. Sao Paulo, the host city of the circuit, is nicknamed “Land of the Drizzle”, making the Grand Prix even more unpredictable thanks to surges in rain being common. The lap record is held by Valtteri Bottas. The 2024 race was won by Max Verstappen – a win lots of fans regard as one of his best.
The most prominent storyline for this week revolves around the two McLaren drivers. After his victory at the Mexican Grand Prix, Lando Norris reclaimed 1st place in the World Drivers’ Championship. His teammate Oscar Piastri trails by only 1 point, and with Brazil’s unpredictable conditions, either driver could be leading the championship by the end of the weekend. Norris last led the world championship in round 4, but since then Piastri has been the clear number one. Since the Dutch Grand Prix, Norris has outscored Piastri at every race and he appears to be in top form as he heads into Brazil.
The World Constructors’ Championship is also getting tighter, even if McLaren locked away 1st place what feels like ages ago. Ferrari leads Mercedes by only 1 point and Red Bull sits in 3rd, only 10 points behind the Italian outfit. These three teams have been fluctuating in order, so it’s difficult to predict who will come out on top at Brazil. This track has historically been full of surprises for teams, for example in 2024 when Alpine scored a double podium.
In this week’s Rookie Watch, all of the rookies have talking points, but it is Gabriel Bortoleto, the home hero, who we should focus on. Born in Sao Paulo, the Sauber driver will be keen to impress the home crowd. He previously raced at Interlagos in 2022 in stock car racing, finishing 22nd. With the fans backing him and some valuable prior experience, Bortoleto may have the edge over his fellow rookies. British driver Ollie Bearman heads to his first Brazilian Grand Prix, but having completed an FP1 for Haas here in 2024, he already has a taste of the track. In Mexico, he finished 4th – an amazing result. With confidence, but also expectations, Bearman heads into the weekend and will be looking to bag some more points. Isack Hadjar, on the other hand, may find Interlagos a challenging track as he mainly raced in Europe and Asia during his junior career. After a disappointing 13th place in Mexico, the Frenchman will be eager to bounce back in Brazil. Finally, in Mexico, Kimi Antonelli finished 6th, a commendable result at a notoriously difficult track. If Antonelli can carry that momentum into Brazil, he could well shine.
