Fernando Alonso to Race in Brazil Despite Intestinal Infection Treatment

Fernando Alonso’s attendance at the upcoming Sao Paulo Grand Prix will be postponed due to ongoing medical care for an intestinal infection. The Aston Martin team driver returned to Europe after Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix to consult a specialist, having experienced illness prior to that race weekend. According to Aston Martin, the additional day of treatment in Europe has postponed his journey to Brazil, meaning the two-time champion will not participate in Thursday’s media day. The 43-year-old had also been absent from media day in Mexico, where he marked his 400th grand prix appearance, owing to his illness. The team stated that Alonso’s choice to go back to Europe for medical consultation “ensures he will be ready for this weekend’s racing”. The Sao Paulo Grand Prix is structured as a sprint weekend, featuring a shorter race on Saturday alongside the primary grand prix event on Sunday. Under this schedule, drivers will participate in a single practice session on Friday, followed by a qualifying session later the same day that determines the starting positions for the sprint race, which marks the initial track activity on Saturday. The main Grand Prix qualifying will take place later on Saturday, ahead of the Grand Prix itself on Sunday. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen enters the weekend holding a 47-point advantage over his championship competitor, Lando Norris of McLaren, with four races remaining in the season. In the constructors’ championship, McLaren is ahead of Ferrari and Red Bull, with all three teams still vying for the title.