Max Verstappen experienced a dramatic race in Sao Paulo, overcoming an early exit from qualifying that forced him to start from 17th. Despite challenging conditions, he surged through the field, ultimately winning the race and marking his first victory since June. Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly from Alpine finished second and third, while Lando Norris struggled to finish sixth. The race featured multiple restarts, significant pit strategy changes, and a safety car period due to a crash, altering the race dynamics significantly.
- 1. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull)
- 2. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine)
- 3. Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine)
Max Verstappen experienced an emotional rollercoaster on Sunday that was almost unprecedented in Formula 1. During the qualifying session that morning, the reigning champion shockingly did not make it past early rounds, forcing him to start the race from 17th place. In contrast, competitor Lando Norris took off from pole position. What was set to be a disastrous Grand Prix for Red Bull transformed into a remarkable victory.
Verstappen achieved the seemingly impossible amidst the rain in Sao Paulo. Following an exhilarating race filled with numerous overtakes and timely luck, the Dutch driver celebrated his triumph, marking his first win after a 10-race drought. On the flip side, McLaren faced disappointment, as Norris finished in 6th place, watching his gap to Verstappen widen to 62 points.
Crash Changes the Race Dynamics
Let’s start from the beginning: Verstappen made an excellent start, quickly moving up to 11th place, while Norris lost his lead to George Russell. The Dutchman continued to claw his way up the ranks, reaching 6th place after 11 laps. Meanwhile, Russell and Norris eked out a lead, with the McLaren driver reclaiming the top spot following the first pit stops in increasingly heavy rain during the 30th lap.
This pit stop moment would soon prove disastrous for Norris. The race was interrupted in lap 33 due to a crash involving Williams driver Franco Colapinto. This situation benefited Verstappen, who had not yet pitted and was in 2nd place at that moment. He was able to change tires during the break and rejoin the race ahead of Norris, who was then in 4th.
Verstappen Strikes at the Second Restart
The rolling restart proceeded without major incidents. Verstappen could not overtake leader Esteban Ocon and remained in 2nd, while Norris dropped back to 5th. Ocon maintained his lead quite impressively until the next safety car phase initiated in lap 40 when Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz crashed and had to retire.
By lap 43, the next restart occurred. This time, Verstappen made his move. He slipped past Ocon on the main straight and maintained the lead until the end. With a commanding nearly 20-second lead, the world champion secured his first victory since the Spanish Grand Prix back in mid-June. The podium was rounded out by Ocon and Pierre Gasly (both from Alpine). Norris fell back yet again after a driving error at the second restart and finished the race in 6th place.
Sauber Again Ends Without Points
Despite only 15 out of 20 cars reaching the finish line, Sauber once again failed to score points in the 21st race of the season. Valtteri Bottas finished in 13th place, while Guanyu Zhou came in 15th.
Looking Ahead
After Brazil, only three Grands Prix remain in the F1 calendar. From November 24, the season finale will unfold sequentially in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi over three weeks. The world champion will be crowned on December 8.