2024 Brazilian Grand Prix Community Recap

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Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
After one of the most chaotic, action-packed and awe-inspiring race weekends of the Formula One season so far, let's take a look back over what our community thought of the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix.

After such a crazy weekend of racing, we want to reflect on what you, our community, think about the many controversies throughout the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend. From botched starts to infuriating safety issues and penalties, the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix had plenty going on from the start until long after the chequered flag had been waved.

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Carlos Sainz, Brazil 2024. Image: Formula One

Podium Predictions​

We are happy to announce our winner for the Brazilian Grand Prix podium prediction was... a tie!... Pete Conway and OverTake's very own Rene Buttler are both sat on five points after the first round. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the next Grand Prix preview when Formula One heads to Las Vegas. You could be in with a chance to put yourself in the running for a year's worth of OverTake.gg premium membership!

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Podium Predictions League Table

This weekend has been a rollercoaster of emotions for every Formula One fan, regardless of who you support. Despite the controversy with some of the decisions, the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix will go down in history as one of this season's best race weekends. Congratulations to our two winners, see you in Las Vegas!

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Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Lando Norris' Early Start​

The drivers were lined up on the grid, ready to go green but the start was aborted. This is not an abnormal procedure when it comes to starting Grand Prix in bad weather, however, the controversy of the procedure was that pole sitter, Lando Norris had started to drive off before the lights went out and flashed green to signal it was safe to start another formation lap.

Norris and McLaren were fined $5000, but there were no further reprimands. Some people feel this is a suitable punishment as his actions did not put anyone in immediate danger or give any form of advantage to Norris. The other side of the argument is that it clearly states in the rule book that you can not move from your grid slot before signalled to do so. Most people agree he had no advantage, but the consistency of the rule book enforcement is under scrutiny.

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Lando Norris, Brazil 2024. Image: Formula One

Max Verstappen, along with a number of other drivers, stayed in their grid boxes when the rest of the field pulled away, Red Bull were not happy, but there was no advantage for Norris in the end despite the obvious safety concerns from the rest of the field with the McLaren moving before the lights went out.

Some drivers stayed on their position (hey Max), as they seen the lights and those where telling them don't drive.
It's in the rulebook, that same one that said if you can get ahead of the apex, the corner is yours and the other car should back off.

The lights are red, but you decide to drive. Now the whole field had to drive another lap, making the race one lap shorter. That's quite a major breach of the rules. 5000 and pointy finger is a very mild ruling. - RichardHessel

After the race had finished, Norris continued to make his day worse by saying "It’s not talent, it’s just luck". The British driver made this comment to the media about Max Verstappen's astounding drive to come from 17th on the grid, to the top step of the podium just after the race had finished.

Recovery truck safety concerns​

Before the race could even get underway, Lance Stroll lost the rear end of his Aston Martin while braking for turn four. This would not be the first time a car has spun on the formation lap, especially in the wet, but what the Canadian did next was the baffling segment of the first formation lap.

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Lance Stroll formation lap crash, Brazil 2024. Image: Formula One

After Stroll had managed to revive his Aston Martin, he would turn left instead of right to get back to the race track and then proceeded to try and drive straight through the sodden gravel trap, consequently beaching the car in the gravel and causing a safety car and another formation lap.


This would not be a major safety issue on its own, but the cars were sent around for another safety car lap whilst Stroll's car was being recovered. This would happen again with Colapinto's accident later on in the Grand Prix as well as Hulkenberg's accident. Many fans called this out throughout the race and especially after the race; their conjoined voice echoing what happened to Jules Bianchi at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.

"What if another Bianchi situation was to happen? Even this weekend, Albon crashed in turn T1, possibly because of some failure. Colapinto crashed under the SC. Any of those situations could have happened whilst Stroll is doing whatever the F*** he was on the formation lap." - Sigmar Bomar

Mercedes tyre pressure changes​

Perhaps the most stonewall penalty of the grand prix that has both their opposition in outrage as well as our community here on OverTake was Mercedes touching their car under Parc Ferme conditions and editing their car setups with the tyre pressures.

However, it might not be quite so definitive that there should have been penalties headed out instead of fines as OverTake member, Slapped, explains:

It is true that under an aborted start Parc Fermé conditions apply. However there are some exceptions and one of these is changing climatic conditions, which definitely applies here. This does however require permission from the race director.

The FIA have essentially admitted that due to limited time, difficult logistics, etc, after the aborted start that it would have been practically impossible for teams to have followed correct procedure, hence a minimal fine again.

I'm in two minds about this one, It may have been necessary due to the conditions and it could have been that permission would have been given should time have allowed. Honestly it didn't affect the outcome of the race anyway and it would appear that the race stewards took a decision to issue a fine in order to prevent this becoming a precedent." - Slapped

So did Mercedes receive the signal from the race director allowing them to alter the tyre pressures on safety grounds? Did the Silver Arrows just run the risk of a penalty or a fine to give their drivers that small edge over the competition?


We will likely never know the real answer, but such a small fine for a major team like Mercedes for breaking a major rule is a big issue moving forward if the FIA wants to be as consistent as possible in regard to penalties and fines up and down the grid.

Well, it appears that it's OK for Mercedes to adjust tyre pressures on the grid in parc ferme conditions and gain an advantage (after all if there was no advantage it wouldn't have been done) and the race director only charged the $billion+ team $4ooo, per car, with no sporting penalty... - Pete Conway

Do not forget that next time out in Las Vegas, here on OverTake, we will be running another podium prediction thread for a chance to win a year's worth of premium website membership!

What did you think about the Brazilian Grand Prix? Let us know in the comments down below!
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Connor Minniss
Website Content Editor & Motorsport Photographer aiming to bring you the best of the best within the world of sim racing.

Comments

Premium
That race just proved to me without a doubt that a Mad Max is a scary force of nature. Those fastest lap after lap after lap was a statement to Lando and all his doubters (Hill/Crofty/Brundle). Did he even put a foot wrong during the race? The biggest issue seemed to be Charles "Because he knows what he is doing"(parapharse). Both Lewis and Fernando personally congratulated him on it (instagram), Charles as well. In the F1 podcast Alex Jacques said he spoke to someone in his camp before the race and they had said "Max is just the right amount of angry". That was an insane quail and race as well. I can't remember as race that was that crazy from quail to race. I laughed my ass off though and if you haven't seen it yet check out the crowd video of when Stroll beaches himself. I love my South American brothers ruthlessness. Seeing Ocon and Gasly on the podium and together, smiling and happy. That was a nice way to see this team end. I hope it brings something to them. A rekindled friendship. They both spoke amount a certain moment they shared from their childhood of them driving in the cold, just those 2. It was nice to see.
 
Been a really long time I been watching a F1 race that made me so nervous and on the edge of my seat.
That was some real alien speed Max showed the world, with super well executed moves and a bit of luck.
If he was driving online we would have accused him of a grip hack. ;)
Unbelievable achievement in those poor(ing) conditions.
 
"This would not be a major safety issue on its own, but the cars were sent around for another safety car lap whilst Stroll's car was being recovered. This would happen again with Colapinto's accident later on in the Grand Prix as well as Hulkenberg's accident. Many fans called this out throughout the race and especially after the race; their conjoined voice echoing what happened to Jules Bianchi at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix."

Maybe these fans should follow another sport. Jules Bianchi disrespected yellow flags, and was driving way too fast. I know people dont like to hear this, but this is the truth. I for one was glad that we actually got to see racing for long periods of time yesterday, without this being the usual red flag fest of the last years. It was clear that the FIA wanted a race to happen despite the rain, and thanks to that, we had an exciting race to remember. So no, i don't agree with all the fear mongering everytime something happens, the safety measures we have these days are more than adequate, and motorsport will ALWAYS be dangerous.
 
That is no argument imo.

Instruction is you wait for green light not yellow.
Instruction is you get the director's approval to make allowed changes to car

It is not rocket science ?
Anything else is nothing but a excuse ?

So director's were busy, big deal is that what the rules say ?
If they are busy then anyone can do what they like?

Not obeying directors instructions should be a penalty no matter what they did otherwise rules are open to any interpretation they fancy.

Lando should have got DSQ as the main instigator the rest should have got a warning for being stupid enough to follow him !
Mercedes should have been DSQ !

One rule for some is simply not good enough.
 
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Lando should have got DSQ as the main instigator the rest should have got a warning for being stupid enough to follow him !
Mercedes should have been DSQ !
I agree with this. There is currently a double standard in F1. It is as if they want to make the championship "exciting" with the inconsistent statements and clearly have a preference for a team and driver. This is my statement and you have to live with it.
 
Premium
Lol I was reading through and I kept wandering if that crashing Lance fella was gonna be mentioned. Sure enough!

Love watching the compilations of that guy crashing. Its like hes on another planet.
 

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