George Russell debuts in the sprint and Esteban Ocon's obsession once again frustrates Fernando Alonso and Alpine

George Russell has won his first race in Formula 1 , although it has only been a Saturday Sprint that does not count for his statistics. The British driver took advantage of a strategic error by Red Bull in Max Verstappen's choice of tires to beat him in a beautiful duel and start first on Sunday.

The drama has been installed again in the Alpine team, where Esteban Ocon's obsession with finishing the season ahead of Fernando Alonso has once again caused an accident between the two and both cars have been left out of the points, while McLaren adds with Lando Norris. Ridiculous, once again.

Carlos Sainz has finished second, but will start seventh

Ahead of Kevin Magnussen's glory lasted just over a lap , which took Verstappen to overtake him. However little by little he saw that the pace of the champion was not good at all. Only he and Nicholas Latifi chose the medium tyres, and he paid for it by losing many positions in the race.

Verstappen was not only overtaken by Russell, but also by Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton , although the Spaniard has five penalty places on the grid and will start seventh. This leaves the two Mercedes in the front row of the grid on Sunday, an unbeatable situation to finally achieve that first victory. But the pilots will have to be managed.

To them and a Verstappen who despite everything comes third, and that at the end of the Sprint he has run with the front wing damaged by a touch with Carlos Sainz . Red Bull made it clear that he is not interested in Sergio Pérez's runner-up position, since he did not allow the Mexican to pass Verstappen and add that extra point.

Sixth position for Charles Leclerc, who will be fifth on the grid due to Sainz's penalty. Lando Norris finished seventh to bring McLaren even closer to Alpine , and Magnussen at least took the prize of grabbing the last point at stake today. He will start eighth in Sunday's race.

The Alpine thing is pathetic . Ocon remains obsessed with Alonso and has even crashed into him twice on the first lap, damaging both cars and leaving the team in a very compromised situation. Not only have they not scored, but Alonso will start fifteenth and Ocon eighteenth tomorrow. The only thing to hold on to is that the Asturian's pace has been brutal.

Of course, what awaits Alonso next year is not much better. Lance Stroll has carried out the most unfortunate maneuver of the race , taking Sebastian Vettel, his partner, off the track at full speed. A maneuver that has cost him ten seconds of sanction. Alonso and Vettel are verifying in their flesh the dirty and selfish arts of these new generations.

Results Sprint Formula 1 GP Brazil 2022

General classification Formula 1

1. Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull-HOL), 421 points
2. Sergio PEREZ (Red Bull-MEX), 284 points
3. Charles LECLERC (Ferrari-MON), 278 points
4. George RUSSELL (Mercedes-GBR), 239 points
5. Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes-GBR), 222 points