Thread by @Ramah_Nyang

#BrazilGP 20 laps in, 2 safety cars and Lewis Hamilton has gone up 8 laps into P2.

This man can drive!

Hamilton, Verstappen have both pitted. Hard tires for both on lap 28. Hamilton has done the fastest lap of the race so far (+1 point, if he can keep it).

1.13.162, fresh fastest lap from LH44 on lap 30. Hope he can get into DRS range of Max really quickly. Hamilton is 1.5 seconds behind him. #BrazilGP

Hamilton-Verstappen gap down to 9-tenths of a second now. #BrazilGP Lap 32.

Verstappen, then Bottas (1.13.002) sets the fastest lap on lap 33. These guys are pushing hard! #BrazilGP

Red Bull on the radio to Max Verstappen - he has a speed advantage against the Mercedes pair in the second sector. But that’s negated by the straight line speed that the Mercs have in S1, S3.

#BrazilGP

Lap 36.

Max Verstappen leads. Hamilton is 1.4 seconds behind him. Bottas is in P3 (also has the fastest lap at this point).

But will this be the finishing order for the #BrazilGP?

A bit odd, this. The @McLarenF1 pair have been in really strong in other races (Baku, Monza anyone?) We aren’t seeing that super strong showing here in #BrazilGP so far. I do wonder why.

Interesting. LH44 talking about tire choices for another potential stop, no details on what rubber he wants though. Verstappen pitting for fresh hard tires on lap 41. Latifi in his @WilliamsRacing car exits the pit just in front of him.

Bottas pits again on lap 42. Hard tires.

Ok, so @MercedesAMGF1 leaves LH44 out for a longer run, but what’s the aim here? Mediums for the last like 15-20 laps and hope Hamilton has built an unassailable lead by then? #BrazilGP

Verstappen nails the fastest lap shortly after his pit stop for hard tires. Perez also pitted around lap 42/43, got hard tires. “Look after the tires Max,” Christian Horner says, “Look after the tires.”

#BrazilGP

Now Bottas takes the fastest lap on lap 44. Hamilton’s like, “No, no,” (with regard to the tire choice). Seems he wanted a set of mediums. “I think we threw an easy 1-2,” Bottas says on radio to @MercedesAMGF1

The argument the engineers are making here is that tire degradation here is pretty high, so the hard tires are the sensible option. “Is the undercut not powerful?” Lewis Hamilton asks on radio to @MercedesAMGF1

#BrazilGP

“This was always leaning towards a 2-stop,” Christian Horner says, citing track conditions. LH44 has grabbed the fastest lap again on lap 47, around 1.12. This is the narrow window for him, I think, to use the tiny extra grip and sheer speed to overhaul the Red Bull.

Verstappen forces Hamilton off the track on that outside overtake attempt on lap 48!!!

#BrazilGP

Hamilton is still in DRS range of Verstappen. He has to keep up the pressure here. The Red Bull is not as quick in a straight line, and his tires are just that little bit older.

50 laps in. Max. Hamilton. Bottas.

#BrazilGP

Daniel Ricciardo (@McLarenF1) Lance Stroll (@AstonMartinF1) have both retired from the #BrazilGP

No investigation necessary, the Stewards say about Verstappen and Hamilton going off track when the defending champion tried to overtake on the outside line. #BrazilGP

@MercedesAMGF1 race engineer: “So Lewis, No investigation necessary for apparently pushing you off track.
@LewisHamilton: “Of course, of course.”

#BrazilGP

15 laps to go. Hamilton still piling on the pressure on Max Verstappen as he chases down that Red Bull. Key question - how much grip is left in those hard tires at this point?

#BrazilGP

He IS THROUGH!!!!!

Lap 59, went through on turn 4 after forcing Max Verstappen to defend hard through turn 1. Remember, this is the man who was disqualified ahead of Saturday’s sprint race.

#BrazilGP

LH44 is now 1.5 seconds ahead of Verstappen, who gets a warning for that weaving back and forth to break the slipstream tow on the @MercedesAMGF1 on lap 59/60.

#BrazilGP

“Go get him Valteri!” Toto Wolff says in reference to Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.

Those tires must be under a fair bit of strain now. Bottas is in 3rd place. Can he make this a 1-2 finish for the @MercedesAMGF1 pair?

#BrazilGP

Max Verstappen in response to being told of the black & white flag warning for weaving about the straight down to turn 1, defending against LH44 by @redbullracing.

“Yeah, perfect. Say hi.”

The radios are especially salty today. #BrazilGP

Ricciardo retired due to a power loss issue on his @McLarenF1, apparently. Slight head scratcher that one. I really hope it doesn’t have any ominous implications for the @MercedesAMGF1 power units.

#BrazilGP

Another marker of how potent that LH44 + @MercedesAMGF1 combination is. He is now *8 seconds clear* of the @redbullracing of Max Verstappen.

8 seconds!

Lap 69/71: Hamilton, Verstappen, Bottas.

#BrazilGP

LH44 still has the fastest lap. But @redbullracing pit Sergio Perez on lap 70, slap on a set of 4 soft tires and send him out to snatch the fastest lap point.

Can they do it though?

#BrazilGP

@LewisHamilton clinches his 101st victory in the #BrazilGP. Perez puts in a proper banzai drive and secures the fastest lap. 1 point in favor of @redbullracing, but this has been an *amazing* weekend for LH44.

To come back from a 25 place grid drop and win?

Mega.

Huge cheers for @LewisHamilton as he gets to the top spot on the podium. Boos heard in the crowd when @redbullracing’s Max Verstappen ascended to P2.

#BrazilGP