São Paulo Grand Prix: Sprint Qualifying Recap

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team drivers Oliver Bearman and Nico Hulkenberg qualified 10th and 12th respectively for the fifth Sprint race of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship at the São Paulo Grand Prix – Bearman subbing at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace for Kevin Magnussen as the Dane missed track running due to illness.

Both Bearman and Hulkenberg comfortably navigated their VF-24s through SQ1, with respective lap times of 1:10.442 and 1:10.466 to reach P7 and P8 on the timesheets. With the same medium compound required in SQ2, Hulkenberg set one timed lap in the session, a best effort of 1:09.964, placing the German just outside the top 10 shootout, finishing Sprint Qualifying P12. His teammate graduated into the top 10 with a time of 1:09.629 to land P7.

SQ3 saw Bearman’s single lap time of the session on Red soft rubber – a time of 1:09.879, good enough for P8 – deleted for track limits at Turn 2, finishing the session in P10 for tomorrow’s Sprint. Piastri topped the timings to earn Sprint Pole for Saturday’s 24-lap charge – the Australian leading the way with a 1:08.899 over teammate Lando Norris.

Prior to Sprint qualifying, Friday’s solitary 60-minute practice session delivered P3 and P8 on the screens for Bearman and Hulkenberg – both drivers working a run program consisting of medium and soft compound running. A switch to soft tires delivered the fastest laps of practice, with Hulkenberg clocking a 1:11.124 and Bearman setting the third fastest time of the session – a 1:10.805 – at a track the Brit has never driven at previously.

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team can confirm that Kevin Magnussen will not compete in the São Paulo Grand Prix and Oliver Bearman will race for the team for the remainder of the weekend.

Nico Hulkenberg:

“The resurfaced track is not amazing to be honest, so that was a big topic after practice. This session was a bit difficult, a bit of a continuation from last week with the struggle of not finding harmony in the car. I was very happy with my lap, but I didn’t have anything else to find – so it’s strange. We need to investigate as I didn’t feel the love from the tire and didn’t feel like I had the grip. The Sprint is a bit of a reset with parc ferme being open so we can work on set-up, so we’ll take it step-by-step.”

Oliver Bearman:

“The car was feeling really good all day, from the first lap in practice. I’m happy to be in SQ3 and have made it through to the third stage of a qualifying session. I made a mistake in sector one, which cost me a lot of time as the rest of the lap was really good, so I’m disappointed with that. Ayao woke me up this morning with his call about driving today, and I give my best to Kevin as I know he doesn’t feel great and has had a lot of success on this track. I’m happy to jump back into a Formula 1 car though, it’s always a pleasure.”

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal:

“Ollie is impressive, considering he’s had minimal preparation, and it was a last-minute call-up. His first timed lap in FP1 was already impressive and then he built from there. His driving in SQ1 and SQ2 was amazing, and in SQ3 we had an issue on our side relating to the tire temperature control box, so the tires weren’t up to temperature, so the fact he went off in turn 2, was not his fault. His others sectors were very competitive, so I’m disappointed we couldn’t get his maximum potential out, but from his side it was impressive and he was happy with the car. On Nico’s side, he wasn’t as happy with the car. In FP1, the bumpiness of the track he struggled with, and then in Sprint Quali, he couldn’t find consistency. It’s a similar issue as in Mexico, so we need to look at how we can make the car better after the Sprint. Still, starting in P10 with Ollie, we can go for points tomorrow, so that’s what we’re focused on.”

Today's Data:

Event: Sprint Qualifying at the São Paulo Grand Prix – Friday November 1
Location: Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil
Layout: 4.309-kilometer (2.677-mile), 15-turn circuit
Weather: Cloudy
Air Temps: 21.7 degrees Celsius (71 degrees Fahrenheit)
Track Temps: 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 degrees Fahrenheit)
Team Result: Oliver Bearman qualified 10th, Nico Hulkenberg qualified 12th