Components 1 returns to the legendary Interlagos Circuit on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil, partially three of the triple header throughout the Americas, and even when they’re drained, the groups and drivers shall be arriving with a bounce of their step and smile on their face.
Why the optimism, we hear you ask?
Sao Paulo has a knack for delivering surprises, shocks and a sprinkle of that Senna magic.
We regarded again at seven of our favorite moments from considered one of F1’s greatest Grand Prix.
1991: There was just one Senna
Ayrton Senna raises the Brazilian flag after his first dwelling victory
Sport is an integral a part of Brazil’s tradition, and whereas soccer and Pele are No. 1, F1 and Ayton Senna are a detailed second by way of legacy.
To say that Senna was particular can be an understatement – a hero on and off the monitor, he was greater than able to profitable greater than the three world drivers championships have been it not for his tragic loss of life at Imola in 1994.
Regardless of being the house favorite, even Senna struggled to tame the beast that’s Interlagos, the place something can occur, and it often does.
By 1991, Senna was in his eighth season, on the lookout for his first victory at dwelling regardless of already being a two-time F1 champion.
He certified on pole place, and it regarded like he’d lastly do it the simple approach as he pulled out a lead.
However Senna – as you sense with Lewis Hamilton on this period of F1 – by no means did issues the simple approach.
His McLaren’s gearbox had jammed, and he was caught in sixth gear, taking the Brazilian to a brand new degree of issue in an period with no energy steering, which massively will increase the exertion on the driving force’s higher physique.
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Martin Brundle and Damon Hill reminisce concerning the nice Ayrton Senna’s character, 26 years after his premature loss of life
In 2023, a driver would often have retired the automotive, and it was the identical scenario on today.
However Senna shouldn’t be typical – whereas he needed to cease, his need to win the race and lift the flag for his folks gave him a hero-like inside power to take him to the chequered flag.
When he bought the job completed, the reduction and emotion got here flooding by way of on the radio within the type of screams, audible sobbing and the phrases “I can not imagine it”.
Earlier than he may return to the pit lane to have fun, Senna handed out on the wheel as a result of immense muscle spasms.
Whereas he couldn’t discover the power to ultimately raise the trophy, he may increase the Brazilian flag to the delight of his followers – “there may solely be one consequence”, stated Senna following the race.
2008: Magnanimous Massa loses out to last-gasp Lewis
Felipe Massa misplaced the world championship on the ultimate lap of the 2008 season
Brazil’s hopes of championship success returned when Felipe Massa headed into the 2008 finale needing to win the race along with his rival Lewis Hamilton in sixth place or decrease – a difficult process – however the dwelling crowd believed.
They particularly believed having seen Ferrari’s different driver Kimi Raikkonen beat title rival Hamilton a 12 months earlier.
On the day, Massa did every thing he wanted to do, profitable the Grand Prix in maybe his most dominant efficiency – however typically even a heroic drive shouldn’t be sufficient in F1.
The Interlagos Circuit has a microclimate, permitting rain showers to reach unexpectedly.
On today in 2008, a downpour of rain got here with only a handful of laps to go.
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Look again at a number of the most dramatic moments to have taken place on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix
A younger Sebastian Vettel overtook Hamilton for fifth place, placing Massa heading in the right direction to be champion.
The house crowd erupted.
They thought their driver had completed it.
Nonetheless, one other younger German known as Timo Glock had elected to proceed on his dry tyres on the moist monitor whereas others had pitted – a danger that almost paid off.
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Felipe Massa displays on what profitable the F1 world title in entrance of his dwelling Brazilian followers would have meant had the championship not been denied him by Lewis Hamilton on the 2008 season’s superb closing lap
In a frantic end matched solely by Abu Dhabi 2021, within the closing nook of the final lap of the ultimate race, Hamilton took the place he wanted to change into champion.
Massa, Ferrari and the Brazilian followers thought they’d received, however they have been improper.
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Lewis Hamilton and Timo Glock revisit the dramatic finish to the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2008
The information filtered by way of, and regardless of shedding out, a hurting Massa placed on a courageous entrance, sharing love along with his folks, beating his coronary heart and pointing to the followers.
A genuinely gracious gentleman had change into an everlasting hero in his metropolis regardless of shedding on the day.
The McLaren storage, alternatively, have been breathless, bouncing round as they’d snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at a monitor the place they’d misplaced out in gut-wrenching vogue only a 12 months earlier.
Hamilton and crew Woking have been the away crew, and regarded to have misplaced out, however within the against-all-odds vogue that we’ve change into used to in Hamilton’s profession, he had change into the youngest-ever world champion (on the time).
The primary of many titles for the now honourary Brazilian.
2012: Vettel matches Senna – the exhausting approach
Sebastian Vettel and Christian Horner have fun their third world championship
Whereas 2008 was a struggle for 2 drivers’ first, 2012 noticed the titans of Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel take each other on to change into a triple world champion.
Changing into a triple world champion in Brazil is additional particular – that is the variety of titles Ayrton Senna managed.
And irony would strike when Vettel was tagged by Senna’s nephew, Bruno, on the primary nook, leaving the German, who was main the championship by 13 factors, going through the improper approach and final.
Issues bought even higher for Alonso when he slipped previous team-mate Felipe Massa and Vettel’s team-mate Mark Webber to take third place – the Spaniard was in place to win the championship.
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Sky Sports activities Information’ Craig Slater and F1 content material creator Tommo handle rumours that Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso is contemplating retiring on the finish of this season. You possibly can take heed to the newest episode of the Sky Sports activities F1 Podcast now.
Vettel, although, was not within the temper to surrender, and regardless of the harm he had sustained, someway had made his method to eighth place by lap eight.
Issues have been thrown up within the air once more when leaders Nico Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton collided on the ever-slippery floor, shifting Alonso into second place.
However it wasn’t sufficient to beat the would possibly of Vettel, who handed his hero Michael Schumacher on his method to emulating Senna, crossing the road in tears to safe the title.
Whereas Vettel was the winner, like 2008, it was the runner-up and his thousand-mile stare that can dwell on as a few of F1’s most iconic content material.
2016: Senna-esque by way of the ‘Senna S’
Max Verstappen got here third on the 2016 Sao Paulo GP
Max Verstappen returns to Sao Paulo this weekend for the primary time since matching maybe considered one of F1’s most well-known triple world champions in Senna, and the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2016 rubber-stamped simply how particular a expertise the younger Dutchman was.
This race got here in direction of the tip of the third and closing episode of the Silver Arrows’ inside tussle between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
The race started beneath the protection automotive resulting from a few of Sao Paulo’s spectacular rain – however six laps later, situations have been deemed protected sufficient to get beneath approach.
Hamilton led away from lights to flag, holding his title probabilities alive. Whereas this was a formidable drive, Verstappen had the entire consideration.
First, the 19-year-old pulled off a daring transfer up the within of Kimi Raikkonen into the primary nook, discovering grip that different nice drivers, together with Raikkonen and Vettel, couldn’t.
This was exemplified once more as Verstappen moved into second place with a jaw-dropping transfer across the exterior of the eventual 2016 champion Rosberg.
The teen confirmed his inexperience and uncooked expertise in a flash when it got here to lap 38 – his automotive regarded as if it was destined for the obstacles, however Verstappen’s supreme automotive management allowed him to do what the skilled, native Massa couldn’t.
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Max Verstappen’s triumph in Mexico Metropolis noticed the Crimson Bull driver break his personal report for many wins in a season
Massa crashed out of what he thought can be his closing Grand Prix, resulting in an emotional stroll again to the pit lane, greeted with applause from the Mercedes and Ferrari garages earlier than reaching the arms of his spouse within the paddock – whereas it had been raining exhausting, this was a second which ensured no dry eye.
Again on monitor, Verstappen pitted for recent tyres, dropping to the decrease reaches of the factors.
That gave us the present of watching him struggle again, together with an uncompromising transfer on Vettel, which we’ve change into accustomed to.
Hamilton had lastly received in Brazil – an emotional second for him as a fan of Senna – however Verstappen’s drive had captured F1’s consideration, and he has solely improved since.
2021: The villain turns into the hero
Lewis Hamilton celebrates his 2021 Sao Paulo GP win
Components 1 arrived at Sao Paulo with Lewis Hamilton needing some magic – Verstappen had reached the second within the battle the place one other win would severely dent Hamilton’s title defence.
Briefly, Hamilton wanted to win, however this was at a circuit the place the followers had good cause to consider him because the pantomime villain.
This was the season that had every thing, together with, for the primary time, Dash weekends, and within the different two weekends, Hamilton and Verstappen had come collectively in main flashpoints.
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Lewis Hamilton goes from the again of the Dash to win the 2021 Sao Paulo GP for Mercedes
However this was one thing the Mercedes driver couldn’t afford.
Issues going swimmingly as Hamilton dominated Friday’s solely follow session earlier than qualifying comfortably on pole place by virtually half a second for Saturday’s Dash.
However that is F1, so issues may hardly go the simple approach – the game’s governing physique, the FIA, found that Hamilton’s rear wing had damaged and his DRS (drag discount system) had opened 0.2mm wider than was authorized, so he was disqualified and despatched to the again of the grid.
Something can occur in Brazil, however no one would have predicted the form of comeback Hamilton would want to provide – this is able to must be Senna-like if he needed to maintain his championship alive.
The seven-time champion wasted no time in Saturday’s Dash, slicing by way of the sector to take fifth place, that means he may begin tenth in Sunday’s Grand Prix after his already-scheduled five-place grid penalty.
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Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was awarded honorary citizenship of Brazil in Brasilia
Once more, Hamilton made gentle work of the vast majority of the sector, however his closing goal was his rival, the chief, Max Verstappen.
Verstappen made his automotive as extensive as attainable – at instances, taking Hamilton off the monitor in what Sky Sports activities‘ Martin Brundle described as a ‘skilled crowd’.
However like Senna, Hamilton thrives when his again is towards the wall.
The Briton discovered a approach by way of, boosting his championship hopes, and celebrated with the followers with parallels to Senna in 1991, with the Brazilian flag raised.
Whereas Hamilton was dominant in 2016, 2021 was the 12 months through which Hamilton grew to become a legend within the Brazilian hearts – and ultimately, an honorary citizen.
One other race like no different on this place like no different.
2022: A weekend of firsts
Kevin Magnussen and Haas have fun their first pole place
If you need proof that something can occur in Sao Paulo, 2022 introduced you a Haas pole place.
Like in 2021, qualifying for Friday set the grid for Saturday’s Dash, which, in flip, set the beginning order for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Friday night time noticed a dose of difficult rain – the ultimate session noticed the highest 10 drivers dashing out because the rain depth elevated, and it was Kevin Magnussen first throughout the road with the quickest time.
Max Verstappen was in second place on the timing screens, adopted by the Mercedes’ of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton – however no one may set a faster time as a result of Russell went straight on at flip 4, getting caught within the gravel.
This introduced out the crimson flag, and when Magnusen was informed of his place, the response was, “you are kidding”, together with a number of expletives – much like the response you’d think about from Gunther Steiner.
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Haas’ Kevin Magnussen capitalised on changeable climate situations and a crimson flag to safe the primary pole place of his profession on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix
The Dane was on pole, and the scenes within the storage from Magnussen, who thought he was out of F1 in 2021, have been one thing to behold.
Within the Saturday Dash, the Haas fairytale pale, however the magic of the Brazilian weekend had not ended.
This season, we’ve been used to the sight of Verstappen taking the lead by lap 4, however when that occurred within the Saturday Dash in 2022, it was the Dutchman who then struggled.
Russell handed the Haas of Magnussen and swarmed across the again of Verstappen’s Crimson Bull like an indignant wasp.
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George Russell lastly snatches the lead from Max Verstappen within the Dash race on the Sao Paulo GP
He was decided too – Verstappen put up a struggle virtually as agency because the one he had had with Hamilton a 12 months beforehand – however Russell slipped by way of, crossing the road nice to start out the Grand Prix from the entrance.
The Mercedes each regarded fast, but it surely was Russell who snatched the Silver Arrows’ solely alternative to style victory in 2022.
It was a mature drive, too – it could have been simple for the youthful Brit to make a mistake with Hamilton respiration down his neck with only a handful of laps to go at a Grand Prix, which seems like and is technically Hamilton’s second dwelling race.
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have fun Mercedes’ one-two on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in 2022
It has been a 12 months since Mercedes’ final win in F1.
It now seems to be Russell on the backfoot in comparison with Hamilton.
Mercedes and Russell hope they’ll use the positivity of final 12 months to do their speaking on the monitor to reply what shall be many questions relating to the departure of Mike Elliott as chief technical officer.
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Sky Sports activities Information’ Craig Slater explains how Lewis Hamilton is already turning his consideration to 2024 as he bids to win a report eighth world title with Mercedes
Hamilton may even enter the weekend with victory the goal – he’s returning dwelling following a wonderful efficiency in Mexico, which his engineer Peter Bonnington known as feeling “just like the {old} days”.
The immense help and the Sao Paulo magic may even assist him and his crew dream.
Discover out what surprises are in retailer at this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix, dwell on Sky Sports activities F1.