Sao Paulo Grand Prix Preview: Camara Makes His Haas Debut as Mercedes Eye the Constructors' Title

Formula 1 arrives at Interlagos with nothing left to settle in the drivers' championship and plenty to argue about everywhere else. Kimi Antonelli, 20, became the youngest world champion in the sport's history in Mexico City, and the grid he leads into Brazil includes a home-town debutant, a Ferrari team still picking over its opening-lap collision and a Mercedes side one decent weekend from the constructors' crown.

Practice begins on Friday afternoon, with the first session at 3.30pm UK time and the second at 7pm, ESPN's weekend guide lists. Nothing from those sessions is known yet, and this preview stops at the garage door.

Can Mercedes win the constructors' title in Brazil?

They can. Mercedes need to outscore Ferrari by three points or more across the weekend, according to both ESPN and Grande Premio, which puts the gap between the two teams at 126 points. There is no sprint this year, so the points on offer are those from Sunday's 71-lap race alone.

That sounds like a formality, but Mexico City gave Mercedes reason for caution. Max Verstappen won there for Red Bull and, by Grande Premio's reading, had the best average race pace on the day, which raises the question of how comfortable Mercedes' advantage really is.

Who is Rafael Camara and why is he racing for Haas?

Rafael Camara, 21, is due to make his Formula 1 debut at his home grand prix, Haas having taken Esteban Ocon out of the car and confirmed the Brazilian alongside Ollie Bearman. Grande Premio reports that he has never raced at Interlagos and will have limited time to learn the VF-26 before qualifying, and that he will be the first Formula 1 starter from Brazil's Northeast. The paper understands he will also race in Las Vegas.