F1 has turned its sprint race into a standalone Saturday event, with sprint qualifying deciding the starting grid followed by the sprint race later in the day. Here’s how the latest sprint race format changes will work.
During qualifying for Sunday’s grand prix, Max Verstappen grabbed pole position ahead of Charles Leclerc as Q3 was red-flagged by heavy rain late on.
The red flag has shaken up the order with Lance Stroll taking third place in front of Aston Martin team-mate Fernando Alonso, while it is an all-Mercedes third row with Lewis Hamilton in fifth and George Russell in sixth.
McLaren driver Lando Norris, who looked set to challenge for pole after topping the Q2 segment, was caught out by the weather and was "gutted" to only manage seventh ahead of former team-mate Carlos Sainz (Ferrari). Sergio Perez was the last out on track in Q3 and took ninth, only ahead of Oscar Piastri who spun off on his only lap before the red flag.
What time does sprint qualifying start for the F1 Brazilian Grand Prix?
Sprint qualifying for the Brazilian GP starts at 11:00am local time (2:00pm GMT), using a shorter version of the traditional Q1, Q2 and Q3 knockout session format.
Date: Saturday 4 November 2023
Start time: 11:00am local time – 2:00pm GMT
What time does the sprint race start for the F1 Brazilian Grand Prix?
The sprint race for the Brazilian GP starts at 3:30pm local time (6:30pm GMT), covering a distance of 24 laps or 60 minutes.
Date: Saturday 4 November 2023
Start time: 3:30pm local time – 6:30pm GMT
How can I watch Formula 1?
In the United Kingdom Formula 1 is broadcast live on Sky Sports, with highlights shown on Channel 4 several hours after the race has finished. Live streaming through NOW is also available in the UK.
Sky Sports F1, which broadcasts the F1 races, can be added as part of the Sky Sports channels which costs £24 a month for new customers. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off day payment of £11.98p or a month membership of £34.99p per month.
How can I watch F1 Brazilian GP sprint qualifying and the sprint race?
In the United Kingdom every F1 practice, qualifying and race is broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with Brazilian GP sprint qualifying coverage starting at 1:30pm GMT on Sky Sports F1, and sprint race coverage starting at 5:30pm GMT on Sky Sports F1.
- Channel: Sky Sports F1
- Start time – Sprint Qualifying: 1:30pm GMT Saturday 4 November 2023
- Start time – Sprint Race: 5:30pm GMT Saturday 4 November 2023
Autosport will be running a live text coverage of sprint qualifying and the sprint race here.
When can I watch the highlights of F1 Brazilian GP sprint qualifying and the sprint race?
In the United Kingdom Channel 4 is broadcasting highlights of sprint qualifying and the sprint race for the Brazilian GP at 11:00pm GMT on Saturday night. The full programme will run for 90 minutes, covering both sprint qualifying and the sprint race and wrapping up the major talking points of the race weekend so far.
For the entire 2023 F1 season, Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of every qualifying and race of each event. The highlights will also be available on Channel 4’s on demand catch up services.
- Channel: Channel 4
- Start time: 11:00pm GMT Saturday 4 November 2023
Will F1 Brazilian GP sprint qualifying and the sprint race be on the radio?
Live radio coverage of every practice, qualifying and race for the 2023 F1 season will be available on the BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC 5 Live Sports Extra or via the BBC Sport website.
Coverage of Brazilian GP sprint qualifying will start at 2:00pm GMT on the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sounds app.
Coverage of the Brazilian GP sprint race will start at 6:30pm GMT on the BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sounds app.
What's the weather forecast for sprint qualifying and the sprint race at Interlagos?
Hot and dry conditions with a low chance of rain is forecast for all of Saturday in Sao Paulo. The temperature is set to reach highs of 26 degrees Celsius at the start of the sprint race.
