Dan Ricciardo cops another grid penalty2:08
F1: News and updates from the Brazilian GP.
F1 World Champion, Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton, offers a press conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 8, 2017 ahead of Sunday’s Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix. / AFP PHOTO / Nelson ALMEIDA
LEWIS Hamilton will count his lucky stars he crashed out in qualifying a fortnight after claiming the 2017 championship. The 32-year-old sealed the title in Mexico despite finishing ninth.
Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas cleaned up pole position with Sebastian Vettel starting second. Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo will start at 14th after suffering a 10-place grid penalty for a power unit replacement.
The race is expected to start at 3am (AEDT).
Security ramped up after bus attack, Hamilton ‘horrified’
Scary stuff for Mercedes.Source:AFP
Security at the Brazilian GP has been tightened in the wake of the armed robbery of Mercedes team members leaving the circuit on Friday night.
Gunmen held up a minibus carrying Mercedes personnel and stole valuables, while a car carrying FIA officials was also threatened. No one was harmed in either incident.
The FIA issued a statement on Saturday night confirming an increased security presence from local police and have advised people to take all necessary precautions when travelling to and from the circuit on race day.
“The circuit has informed all of the event stakeholders that the Sao Paulo police force has taken additional measures after these regrettable incident,” read a statement.
“Heavy police reinforcements will be on duty for the remainder of the event.”
However, Sauber strategist Ruth Buscombe reported a fresh incident on Saturday night when the team’s crew left the circuit and narrowly avoided another apparent attempted robbery:
#F1 Be careful leaving circuit even with added security. Just got hit by one car trying to make us stop with another ahead. Even left at an odd time (late) and they either followed or were alerted of a van headed that way past the end of the police presence near track. #BrasilGPpic.twitter.com/pPAmUgTvNy
— Ruth Buscombe (@RuthBuscombe) November 12, 2017
While Brazil is one of the sport’s most popular and vibrant races, incidents of F1 personnel being targeted on the roads outside the circuit are not uncommon.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who was not travelling in the vehicle that was targeted, said F1 collectively needed to do more to ensure all members of the paddock were able to travel safely.
“I was horrified to hear what had happened,” he said.
“I’m very close with all the guys that got pulled aside and you can’t imagine what they were feeling or going through at the time.
“After that, the most frustrating thing is I’ve been in Formula 1 for 10 years and every single year that has happened to somebody in the paddock. And it continues to happen.
“I’m sure that’s an issue that the government here are fighting, but maybe on this weekend there are protocols that are put in place that help.
“It should be for the whole paddock. That’s partly Formula 1’s responsibility but generally people at the top need to take action to keep everyone safe. It’s not good just the bosses having security and myself having security, everyone needs to be looked after.”
— James Galloway, Sky Sports
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