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.
Carlos Sainz, Brazil 2024. Image: Formula One
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!
Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
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.
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.
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.
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.
However, it might not be quite so definitive that there should have been penalties headed out instead of fines as OverTake member, Slapped, explains:
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.
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!
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.
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!| Race Date | Race Location | Player | Prediction - 1st | Prediction - 2nd | Prediction - 3rd | Actual - 1st | Actual - 2nd | Actual - 3rd | Points - Correct Position | Points - Correct Driver | Wrong Position | Total Points |
| 2024-11-03 | Sao Paulo | @Rene / GRunner | Lando Norris | Max Verstappen | Oscar Piastri | Max Verstappen | Esteban Ocon | Pierre Gasly | 0 | 5 | 5 | |
| 2024-11-03 | Sao Paulo | @Pete Conway | Oscar Piastri | Charles Leclerc | Max Verstappen | Max Verstappen | Esteban Ocon | Pierre Gasly | 0 | 5 | 5 | |
| 2024-11-03 | Sao Paulo | @Connor Minniss | Oscar Piastri | Lando Norris | George Russell | Max Verstappen | Esteban Ocon | Pierre Gasly | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024-11-03 | Sao Paulo | @Majuh | Lando Norris | Oscar Piastri | Charles Leclerc | Max Verstappen | Esteban Ocon | Pierre Gasly | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024-11-03 | Sao Paulo | @Fecahama | Lando Norris | Charles Leclerc | Carlos Sainz | Max Verstappen | Esteban Ocon | Pierre Gasly | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024-11-03 | Sao Paulo | @Ruttman98 | Lando Norris | Carlos Sainz | Charles Leclerc | Max Verstappen | Esteban Ocon | Pierre Gasly | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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!
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.
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.
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.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.
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:
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.
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!
