2025 Brazil GP Sprint Race Preview

Now, it is time for James Punt’s 2025 Brazil GP Sprint Race preview. We landed a winner with Nico Hulkenberg in Sprint Qualifying, hopefully we can land another one or two this afternoon.

2025 Brazil GP Sprint Race

This could be a hard one to rescue. I went for Verstappen to win the Sprint in the outright preview, but it is very unlikely that he can do so now. Red Bull went for the wrong setup. The Red Bull is low on downforce and slow in the twisty infield sector. That setup is locked in for the Sprint race, but they can change things for the Grand Prix on Sunday.

Some say that rain can save his chances, but I can’t see that a lack of downforce is going be good on a low grip surface. He said it was undriveable in qualifying and he ended up in sixth. It was even worse for Tsunoda, who I have backed to finish in the points in the Sprint and GP. He has been terrible so far. Crashing in free practice and only managed 18th in qualifying for the Sprint.

Weather Warning

In any case, if it does rain, and there is a weather warning in place, we won’t see a sprint race, at least not until it stops raining. F1 is pretty much a dry Formula these days and they will do their best to avoid racing in the rain.

It is due to ease off as the morning goes on, so my guess is that they will delay it and move the GP qualifying session to tomorrow morning. Of more worry was the talk of high winds. A lot of the trackside infrastructure is temporary and flimsy in nature. Any strong gusts could mean we have tarpaulins and gazebos blowing around and that is more dangerous than some water.

If we do get going who is likely to win? Lando Norris. Probably

The McLaren has hit the ground running and their one lap and long run pace puts them well clear. It is theirs to lose.

Past Form

However past form in the Sao Paulo sprints says that second place on the grid is the place to be. The driver starting from second has won three of the four sprints. However, one was a driver swap when Piastri let Norris past last year. The 2022 Sprint was a bit weird as we had a Haas starting on pole after a mad wet qualifying. It was won by the driver stating third.

Antonelli starts in second today and the Mercedes has got good pace. He felt that without a mistake on his final lap, he would have been on pole, as he was in the Miami sprint. He made a hash of the start there and finished down the order.

The start here does invite an aggressive start from the driver in second place. The second-place grid spot is on the inside of the track and the first corner is just a short distance away and a left hander. Get a good, or better, launch and the driver in second can find himself in the lead turning in.

History

Norris has a bit of a history for making poor starts, including one here in 2023 when Verstappen got the better start, passed Norris and that was that.

Antonelli is of some interest. The driver starting second here in the Sprints has won two on merit and only finished outside the top three once. Antonelli is not worried about any World Championship battle and if he can lean on Norris, Norris might just yield.

Norris just needs to finish ahead of his two rivals and move on to the main event on Sunday. Antonelli can be backed each way with three places and past form says he should finish top three and maybe win it.

2025 Brazil GP Sprint Race Tip: 1 point e/w Kimi Antonelli to win the Sprint race @ 6.50 1/5 the odds 1-3) with Boylesports, Betvictor

One driver who was surprisingly quick yesterday was Pierre Gasly. Seventh in FP1, and he was on for a top ten in qualifying but was caught out by Charles Leclerc’s spin and resultant double waved yellows.

There is no reason why the Alpine should suddenly be competitive here after their basket case performance in Mexico, but Gasly has had a couple of podium finishes here, so he knows his way around the track.

He said that the car felt really good and was ‘alive’. He looks like a decent priced outsider to finish in the top 10 in the Sprint Race. Gasly starts in thirteenth, but the car has the pace to make the top 10 with a bit of luck.

2025 Brazil GP Sprint Race Tip: 1 point Pierre Gasly to finish in the sprint race top 10 @ 4.00 with Ladbrokes

-JamesPunt