Max Verstappen comes from 17th to WIN with one of the great F1 drives at bonkers Brazil GP as Norris title hopes fade

1 month ago 14

MAX VERSTAPPEN produced a jaw-dropping comeback from 17th to win a bonkers Sao Paulo Grand Prix. 

The ruthless Dutchman overcame a five-place grid penalty, shambolic qualifying session, a penalty in the sprint, as well as handbags with Damon Hill this weekend.

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Max Verstappen made light work of his penalty and elimination in Q2 to win the Brazilian GP[/caption]
 Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 03, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)Verstappen won his first race since June after starting in P17
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The Dutchman seized the lead from Esteban Ocon after the second restart on lap 43[/caption]
 Photo by FLORENT GOODEN/DPPI/REX/Shutterstock (14858779eh) VERSTAPPEN Max (ned), Red Bull Racing RB20, portrait celebrating victory on the podium during the Formula 1 Grande Premio de Sao Paulo 2024, 21th round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship from November 1 to 3, 2024 on the Interlagos Circuit, in Sao Paulo, Brazil - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI F1 - SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX 2024, , Interlagos, Br¿sil - 03 Nov 2024The 27-year-old now leads Lando Norris in the drivers’ championship by 62 points
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Norris, who started in pole, lost his place early to George Russell[/caption]
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Verstappen climbed the grid early from P17[/caption]

The three-time world champion made a huge statement in the title-race, crossing the line 19 seconds ahead of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly on a bumper day for Alpine.

Verstappen’s last time on the top of the podium was at the Spanish Grand Prix a whopping ten-races and six-months ago.

The Dutchman bagged the fastest lap and can clinch the title in Las Vegas in three weeks’ time if he beats Lando Norris there after the Brit finished sixth today following a woeful performance.

Brazil had been riddled with drama all weekend and today’s race continued where a chaotic, crash-strewn qualifying session in the morning had left off. 

Norris had secured pole while a seething Verstappen finished in 12th after a session which saw FIVE red flags for heavy crashes. 

Verstappen was furious about the delay in throwing the red flag for Lance Stroll’s crash which believed had allowed other drivers to knock him out of the top 10. 

It only seemed to ignite the fire in the Dutchman’s belly as he lined up on the grid all the way back in 17th after Red Bull put a new engine in his RB20. 

Drama erupted before the race had even started as Stroll lost control of his car on the formation lap and was stuck in the gravel, aborting the start and prompting a Safety car. 

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Franco Colapinto was out of the race after hitting the wall on Lap 30[/caption]
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The Carlos Sainz crash caused second Safety Car[/caption]
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Lando Norris dropped into P5 after an error at restart[/caption]

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Remarkable scenes followed, with some drivers including Norris peeling away to go for another formation lap while Verstappen and others stayed put. 

Norris was then put under investigation for a starting procedure infringement as replays showed there was no green light on the gantry when Norris led most of the field away. 

To rub salt in the wounds, Verstappen had pointed out the error. 

Finally the fans were treated to some racing and it was George Russell who was ahead on lap 1 after nipping past Norris off the line. 

It was a stunning first lap from Verstappen who meant business and sky-rocketed seven places up.

By lap 10 the Dutchman had passed Norris’ McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri for seventh-place. 

At the front of the pack, Norris was hunting down Russell with just over a second separating the pair as the rain lashed down. 

On lap 28 there was the first Virtual Safety Car as Nico Hulkenberg was out of the race at Turn One.

It sparked pit stop chaos as Russell and Norris pitted with the virtual safety car ending.

Russell remained ahead but Ocon and Verstappen stayed out, as did Gasly. 

Ocon nipped into first-place and Verstappen was second, while Norris overtook Russell for fourth on lap 30. 

Formula One F1 - Sao Paulo Grand Prix - Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Sao Paulo, Brazil - November 3, 2024 Mercedes' George Russell is seen in the pit lane as the race is stopped for a red flag Pool via REUTERS/Sebastiao MoreiraGeorge Russell launched an x-rant attack on his radio after Mercedes pitted
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Nico Hulkenberg’s black flag saw him disqualified for receiving assistance after his off moment[/caption]

It continued peeing it down and there was a Safety car amid the heavy rain with Ocon leading, Verstappen is second, Gasly in third then Norris and Russell.

But a red flag was shown after Franco Colapinto suffered a massive crash on the run up the hill towards the finish line. 

Colapinto got out of his car and appeared to be fit, but Williams’ budget was certainly suffering, given it was their third big crash of the day. 

Russell was left seething and fumed on Mercedes team radio after being told the race had been red flagged just a few laps after his pit stop:

“I f****** said it!

“We should have stayed out!”

Full Sao Paulo Grand Prix race result

  1. Verstappen
  2. Ocon
  3. Gasly
  4. Russell
  5. Leclerc
  6. Norris
  7. Tsunoda
  8. Piastri
  9. Lawson
  10. Hamilton

To add to the drama, Hulkenerg was then disqualified for receiving assistance after he spun off the track. 

When the race resumed, Norris’ nerves got the better of him and he went deep at Turn Four, allowing Russell through. 

Carlos Sainz was then out of the race on lap 40 after spinning into the wall, prompting another safety car. 

Verstappen laid down a huge marker in the title-race after the restart as he bulldozed into the lead while Norris disastrously ran off the track and dropped into seventh. 

Piastri came to the rescue and let Norris through on the run down to Turn Four so the Brit was up to sixth while his rival Verstappen had left him for dust.

The Dutchman now leads Norris in the drivers’ championship by 62 points with three races remaining.

Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase said after the race: “Wow, been a long time coming mate but boy was that worth the wait. You are the man.

Verstappen: “Yes! What an unbelievable race guys. You know what that is. Simply lovely. I tell you that.”

 Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing, Second placed Esteban Ocon of France and Alpine F1 and Third placed Pierre Gasly of France and Alpine F1 pose for a photo on the podium after the FIA Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 03, 2024 in Interlagos, Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Rodolfo Buhrer /SPP) Credit: SPP Sport Press Photo. /Alamy Live News This is an Alamy Live News image and may not be part of your current Alamy deal . If you are unsure, please contact our sales team to check.Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly made up the front three
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Lance Stroll did not start the race after losing control in the formation lap[/caption]
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