2018 Brazilian Grand Prix Explained

Type:F1
Country:Brazil
Grand Prix:Brazilian
Details Ref:[1]
Year:2018
Race No:20
Season No:21
Previous Round:2018 Mexican Grand Prix
Next Round:2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Image-Size:200px
Official Name:Formula 1 Grande Prêmio Heineken do Brasil 2018
Location:Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil
Course:Permanent racing facility
Course Km:4.309
Course Mi:2.677
Distance Laps:71
Distance Km:305.879
Distance Mi:190.064
Pole Driver:Lewis Hamilton
Pole Country:GBR
Pole Team:Mercedes
Pole Time:1:07.281
Fast Driver: Valtteri Bottas
Fast Team:Mercedes
Fast Time:1:10.540
Fast Lap:65
First Driver:Lewis Hamilton
First Country:GBR
First Team:Mercedes
Third Team:Ferrari
Weather:Cloudy

The 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix (formally known as the Formula 1 Grande Prêmio Heineken do Brasil 2018) was a Formula One motor race held on 11 November 2018 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil. The race was the twentieth and penultimate round of the 2018 Formula One World Championship and marked the 47th running of the Brazilian Grand Prix and the 46th time that the race was run as a World Championship event since the inaugural event in . Following Felipe Massa's retirement from Formula One at the end of the season, this marked the first Brazilian Grand Prix where no Brazilian driver took part.

The race was won by Lewis Hamilton from pole position. Hamilton's race win combined with teammate Valtteri Bottas finishing 5th meant that Mercedes were able to claim the Constructors' Championship for the 5th consecutive season.[2] Kimi Räikkönen finished 3rd for Ferrari, taking his 103rd and final podium of his career as well as his final for the team.

Background

Going into the penultimate round of the season Lewis Hamilton had already claimed the Drivers' Championship, however Ferrari and Mercedes could both still claim the Constructors' Championship.[3] Ferrari needed to outscore Mercedes by 13 points or more to prevent Mercedes winning the title after the race's completion.[4]

Qualifying

Qualifying classification

DriverConstructor
Q1Q2Q3
144data-sort-value="HAM" Lewis HamiltonMercedes1:08.4641:07.7951:07.2811
25data-sort-value="VET" Sebastian VettelFerrari1:08.4521:07.7761:07.3742
377data-sort-value="BOT" Valtteri BottasMercedes1:08.4921:07.7271:07.4413
47data-sort-value="RAI" Kimi RäikkönenFerrari1:08.4521:08.0281:07.4564
533data-sort-value="VER" Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing-TAG Heuer1:08.2051:08.0171:07.7785
63data-sort-value="RIC" Daniel RicciardoRed Bull Racing-TAG Heuer1:08.5441:08.0551:07.78011
79data-sort-value="ERI" Marcus EricssonSauber-Ferrari1:08.7541:08.5791:08.2966
816data-sort-value="LEC" Charles LeclercSauber-Ferrari1:08.6671:08.3351:08.4927
98data-sort-value="GRO" Romain GrosjeanHaas-Ferrari1:08.7351:08.2391:08.5178
1010data-sort-value="GAS" Pierre Gasly1:09.0461:08.6161:09.0299
1120data-sort-value="MAG" Kevin MagnussenHaas-Ferrari1:08.4741:08.65910
1211data-sort-value="PER" Sergio PérezForce India-Mercedes1:09.2171:08.74112
1331data-sort-value="OCO" Esteban OconForce India-Mercedes1:09.2641:08.77018
1427data-sort-value="HUL" Nico HülkenbergRenault1:09.0091:08.83413
1535data-sort-value="SIR" Sergey SirotkinWilliams-Mercedes1:09.2591:10.38114
1655data-sort-value="SAI" Carlos Sainz Jr.Renault1:09.26915
1728data-sort-value="HAR" Brendon HartleyScuderia Toro Rosso-Honda1:09.28016
1814data-sort-value="ALO" Fernando AlonsoMcLaren-Renault1:09.40217
1918data-sort-value="STR" Lance StrollWilliams-Mercedes1:09.44119
202data-sort-value="VAN"McLaren-Renault1:09.60120
107% time

1:12.979

Source:[5]
Notes

Race

Max Verstappen was leading and extending his lead over Lewis Hamilton in second until, on lap 44, Esteban Ocon made contact with Verstappen. Ocon was trying to unlap himself, causing both drivers to spin allowing Hamilton to take the lead and eventually the win. Following the collision, the stewards gave Ocon a ten-second stop-go penalty for the incident. With the win by its driver Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes wrapped up the Constructors' Championship, while Max Verstappen's Red Bull finished second and Kimi Räikkönen's Ferrari finished third. Daniel Ricciardo took fourth ahead of Bottas with Vettel struggling home to sixth. Ocon finished 13th.

After the race Max Verstappen pushed and hit Ocon forcefully several times in the chest in the FIA's garage. Verstappen would later be punished for actions that were deemed inappropriate for a sportsman and was punished with two days community service.[7] [8]

Race classification

DriverConstructorLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
144data-sort-value="HAM" Lewis HamiltonMercedes711:27:09.066125
233data-sort-value="VER" Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing-TAG Heuer71+1.469518
37data-sort-value="RAI" Kimi RäikkönenFerrari71+4.764415
43data-sort-value="RIC" Daniel RicciardoRed Bull Racing-TAG Heuer71+5.1931112
577data-sort-value="BOT" Valtteri BottasMercedes71+22.943310
65data-sort-value="VET" Sebastian VettelFerrari71+26.99728
716data-sort-value="LEC" Charles LeclercSauber-Ferrari71+44.19976
88data-sort-value="GRO" Romain GrosjeanHaas-Ferrari71+51.23084
920data-sort-value="MAG" Kevin MagnussenHaas-Ferrari71+52.857102
1011data-sort-value="PER" Sergio PérezForce India-Mercedes70+1 lap121
1128data-sort-value="HAR" Brendon HartleyScuderia Toro Rosso-Honda70+1 lap16
1255data-sort-value="SAI" Carlos Sainz Jr.Renault70+1 lap15
1310data-sort-value="GAS" Pierre Gasly70+1 lap9
1431data-sort-value="OCO" Esteban OconForce India-Mercedes70+1 lap18
152data-sort-value="VAN"McLaren-Renault70+1 lap20
1635data-sort-value="SIR" Sergey SirotkinWilliams-Mercedes69+2 laps14
1714data-sort-value="ALO" Fernando AlonsoMcLaren-Renault69+2 laps17
1818data-sort-value="STR" Lance StrollWilliams-Mercedes69+2 laps19
data-sort-value="19"Ret27data-sort-value="HUL" Nico HülkenbergRenault32Overheating13
data-sort-value="20"Ret9data-sort-value="ERI" Marcus EricssonSauber-Ferrari206
Source:[9]
Notes

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
DriverPoints
1 Lewis Hamilton*383
2 Sebastian Vettel302
3 Kimi Räikkönen251
4 Valtteri Bottas237
5 Max Verstappen234
Source: [10]
Constructors' Championship standings
ConstructorPoints
1 Mercedes*620
2 Ferrari553
3 Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer392
4 Renault114
5 Haas-Ferrari90
Source:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Brazil. Formula1.com. 8 November 2018.
  2. Web site: Brazilian Grand Prix 2018: Mercedes clinch constructors' title for fifth successive year. 11 November 2018. formula1.com. 8 November 2019.
  3. Web site: Brazilian Grand Prix 2018 preview information, start times, weather . Formula1.com. 9 January 2019.
  4. Web site: Brazilian Grand Prix 2018: Lewis Hamilton now focused on winning constructors' title for Mercedes. 8 November 2019. formula1.com. 8 November 2019.
  5. Web site: Formula 1 Grande Prêmio Heineken do Brasil 2018 – Qualifying . Formula1.com . 10 November 2018 . 10 November 2018.
  6. Web site: Ricciardo set for Brazil engine penalty. Formula1.com. 8 November 2018.
  7. Web site: Brazilian Grand Prix 2018: Verstappen required to do 'public service' after post-race scuffle with Ocon. 11 November 2019. formula1.com. en. 8 November 2019.
  8. News: Benson. Andrew. 11 November 2018. Hamilton wins as furious Verstappen shoves Ocon. BBC Sport. 15 February 2021.
  9. Web site: Formula 1 Grande Prêmio Heineken do Brasil 2018 – Race Result . Formula1.com . 11 November 2018 . 11 November 2018.
  10. Web site: Brazil 2018 – Championship . StatsF1. 13 March 2019.