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There aren't many pole positions that would make fans as happy as the one secured by Kevin Magnussen for the 2022 F1 Brazilian GP Sprint. The Danish driver secured his as well as his team's maiden pole position in a session that was somewhat fortuitous in the way it panned out.
Having said that, with the euphoria of a Kevin Magnussen pole dissipating (not sure about the hangover for the Haas team), it's time for the team to get down to business and focus on their first points-scoring opportunity of the weekend: the Sprint race on Saturday. With the grid decided and rain more or less expected to make an appearance, what can we expect from the 2022 F1 Brazilian GP sprint? Let's find out!
#5 If it stays wet, we might see the FIA being conservative once again
It will be foolhardy to predict what the weather will bring during the F1 Brazilian GP sprint as there is a forecast of rain causing a disruption. While it's traditionally been fun to have rain make an appearance during an F1 session, that has not been the case this season.
The new cars produce far too much spray and the visibility goes for a toss because of that. To add to this, the FIA has been erring on the side of being too conservative in these situations this season. If the 2022 F1 Brazilian GP sprint is affected by rain, expect a few unpleasant stoppages as we might not get the best on-track action (if any) for a wet race.
#4 Kevin Magnussen is a wildcard for the F1 Brazilian GP sprint
That lap from Kevin Magnussen was not a fluke. Was it fortunate that George Russell ended up beaching his Mercedes? To an extent, yes. With conditions getting worse at that moment, however, it was always going to be an uphill climb for any driver to improve his time. Sergio Perez was one of the drivers with an improved time in the first sector but for him to continue improving in conditions that were getting worse was a tough ask. It's safe to say that the Haas was just quick in those conditions and if they remain the same for the F1 Brazilian GP, Magnussen could score a few valuable points.
It is possible, however, that the car cannot replicate the performance from Friday and Magnussen will become nothing more than a mobile chicane for the rest of the field during the F1 Brazilian GP sprint. All in all, the Haas driver is a wildcard for the F1 Brazilian GP sprint and it's hard to predict how he will fare during the race.
#3 Keep an eye on Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso during the F1 Brazilian GP sprint
Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso have been two drivers who have sprung surprises this season whenever we have had a wet qualifying session. The two have truly been the class of the midfield whenever we've had mixed conditions in play and Friday was no different. On multiple occasions, we had Norris and Alonso leading the timing sheets on a grid that had Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes as well.
In the sprint, we have Norris starting the race in P4 which is certainly a strong position to start. Alonso will be starting the race in P7 as his first flying lap in Q3 was not optimal and was pipped by his teammate Esteban Ocon.
The sprint in changing conditions allows drivers like Alonso and Norris to put together something special. Keep an eye out for these two because they are going to put together something impressive, to say the least.
#2 The mixed grid could throw the formbook out of the window
If there was one thing that was quite evident during the qualifying session, it was the fact that the formbook was somewhat thrown out of the window. The McLarens and the Alpines were mixing things up at the front of the grid. A Haas suddenly found pace, and variable conditions meant that the pecking order at the front consisting of Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull was just thrown out of the window.
There is a strong possibility that we will have mixed conditions during the sprint and if that happens, it's safe to say that one can't make any substantial claims either way.
#1 Max Verstappen secures pole position start for the 2022 F1 Brazilian GP
In all the chaos on Friday, if there was one thing that stayed consistent, it was Max Verstappen once again putting himself in a position to secure the maximum possible points. The Red Bull driver will start the 2022 F1 Brazilian GP sprint on the front row alongside Kevin Magnussen.
Despite all the red flag shenanigans from George Russell to the compromised lap times for Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen still managed to secure a front row. For the Sprint, whether it is wet or dry, it's safe to say that Verstappen will have an advantage over Kevin Magnussen and will be the frontrunner to secure a pole position start for the race on Sunday.
