Max Verstappen mathematically sealed his third World Drivers’ Championship title in Qatar in October but, heading into the final month of the 2023 season, there is still plenty to play for below the dominant Dutchman.

Lewis Hamilton is chasing down Sergio Perez for second place in the standings and can be backed at 5/4 to claim the silver medal.  

The seven-time world champion saw his chances boosted by the Red Bull-driver's first-turn crash at his home race last weekend, while only 32 points separate fourth-place Carlos Sainz and eighth-place George Russell.

In the World Constructors’ Championship, Mercedes are 1/4 favourites to hold onto a lucrative second-place finish ahead of Ferrari, while McLaren look to have the edge of a declining Aston Martin in the race for fourth. 

Alex Wrigley’s Brazilian Grand Prix Tips

Lewis Hamilton to have the fastest lap @ 7/1  
Alex Albon to finish in the points @ 11/8
Esteban Ocon not to be classified @ 5/1

Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.

Setting the scene…

After the high-altitude setting of Mexico City, the cars drop down to a comparatively low, but still higher-than-average, 700 metres above sea level for the Brazilian Grand Prix but the track configuration at Interlagos still pushes teams towards a high-downforce setup.

The tight, twisting sector 2, combined with the various altitude changes around the circuit, put a strain on the cars’ gearboxes and the high top speeds, aided by the altitude, make for plenty of overtaking opportunities.

The first corner at the end of the pit straight and the braking zone into turn 4 offer the main passing places, with the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix topping the charts for overtaking moves last season with 62 on-track passes.

Weather conditions are expected to be calm and cool for the main event on Sunday but, with this being a Sprint weekend, Friday’s forecast could play a defining role as thunderstorms threaten for the single practice session and qualifying later that day.

What	Brazilian Grand Prix
Where	Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Sao Paulo
When	17:00 GMT, Sunday 5th November
How to watch	Sky Sports F1
Odds	Max Verstappen 1/4, Lewis Hamilton 8/1, Lando Norris 14/1, Sergio Perez 16/1, George Russell 18/1

Lewis Hamilton to have the fastest lap @ 7/1

Lewis Hamilton saw his chances of claiming the World Drivers’ Championship silver medal increased dramatically last weekend as he took advantage of Sergio Perez’s first-turn crash to finish second in Mexico.

He carved another point out of Perez’s lead by clocking the fastest lap on his final pass around the Mexico City circuit despite sporting old medium tyres and he is 7/1 to claim that extra point again at Interlagos.

Only Max Verstappen (8) has claimed more fastest lap points than Hamilton (4) this season and the seven-time world champion has always performed in Sao Paulo.

He finished second behind teammate George Russell last season and has stood on the podium in six of the last eight Grands Prix here. With form on his side - he has finished second on the road in the last two races and put in the fastest lap twice in the last five Grands Prix - he could take another chunk out of Sergio Perez’s buffer.

Alex Albon to finish in the points @ 11/8

After his disastrous spell at Red Bull in 2019 and 2020, Alex Albon has done a fine job of rekindling his Formula One career since joining Williams Racing last season.

The 27-year-old earned his fourth top-10 finish in his last seven races in Mexico City last weekend and has almost single-handedly led Williams to a likely seventh-place finish in the World Constructors’ Championship.

Albon has been responsible for 27 of the team’s 28 points this year and is enjoying driving what looks to be an improving Williams car, with teammate Logan Sargeant earning his first Formula One points a couple of weeks ago to make it three points finishes from a possible four over the last two Grands Prix. He is 11/8 to repeat that feat in Sao Paulo.

Esteban Ocon not to be classified @ 5/1

It has been a frustrating season for the team at Alpine, with the car showing brief hints of pace at times but the overriding fear being one of unreliability.

The French team have suffered the joint-most retirements (10) of any team alongside Williams, with Esteban Ocon failing to reach the chequered flag seven times and being officially unclassified on six occasions.

Things seem to be getting worse for the sixth-placed constructor, too, with Alpine suffering seven of those failures to finish in the last 10 races and Ocon bearing the brunt five times.

The 27-year-old is one of nine drivers priced at 5/1 to be unclassified on Sunday and looks the most likely of them all to face a terminal issue at Interlagos, especially with the Sprint weekend forcing teams into largely untested setup options.

Alex Wrigley’s Brazilian Grand Prix Tips

Lewis Hamilton to have the fastest lap @ 7/1  
Alex Albon to finish in the points @ 11/8
Esteban Ocon not to be classified @ 5/1

Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.