Source – Formula1.com
In the midst of shifting weather conditions and intense drama, Max Verstappen stormed to an incredible victory in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Dutchman started the race in P17 and worked his way up the field to win his first race since June, while Alpine finished on the double podium.
In a dramatic Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos, where rain and unexpected incidents played key roles, Max Verstappen showcased his mastery yet again, clinching victory with a substantial margin of 19.477 seconds. This win wasn’t a straightforward affair, as the race saw chaotic pre-race incidents, major crashes, multiple safety cars, and some unforgettable performances. The excitement began even before the race with Lance Stroll spinning out on the formation lap, leading to confusion around the start procedure. As some drivers like Lando Norris and George Russell followed the pole-sitter in a formation lap, others remained on the grid. This led to several drivers, including Norris, Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson, facing post-race investigations.
As the lights went out, Russell leaped into the lead, overtaking Norris, while Verstappen quickly moved through the pack despite starting further back. The unpredictable weather led to continuous shifts in strategy, particularly during a critical Virtual Safety Car period. On lap 32, Franco Colapinto’s crash brought out a red flag, forcing drivers like Russell and Norris to lose ground after pitting just before the incident. As the race resumed, Esteban Ocon, Verstappen, and Pierre Gasly took the top three spots, but with another restart looming after Carlos Sainz’s crash, Verstappen skillfully surged ahead and didn’t look back, ultimately sealing his win.
The Alpine team celebrated a rare double podium with Ocon and Gasly finishing in P2 and P3, propelling them significantly up the constructors’ standings from ninth to sixth. Mercedes’ Russell ended in P4, followed by Charles Leclerc of Ferrari in P5. McLaren’s Norris, facing a disappointing outcome in P6, saw a dent in his championship hopes as he lost points to Verstappen. Oscar Piastri, Norris’s teammate, initially crossed the line in P7 but was later handed a 10-second penalty for a collision with Lawson, dropping him to P8. This allowed Tsunoda to move up, securing seventh, while Lawson and Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top 10. Hamilton’s defensive driving against Sergio Perez in the latter stages held the Red Bull driver in P11.
Further down the order, Ollie Bearman, despite an eventful race with several penalties, finished 12th for Haas. Valtteri Bottas of Kick Sauber came in 13th, ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Zhou Guanyu in the other Sauber. Stroll failed to start after his formation lap mishap, while Alex Albon’s crash in qualifying left Williams unable to prepare his car in time.
The Brazilian GP weekend was turbulent overall, with Sprint events, a rain-affected qualifying, and severe crashes. Drivers who suffered major qualifying crashes—Colapinto, Sainz, Alonso, Stroll, and Albon—faced doubts about even making it to the grid. Verstappen, too, started lower due to a grid penalty for engine changes, but his decisive driving once again highlighted his prowess. With his victory in Sao Paulo, Verstappen solidified his place at the top of the standings, showing that even the most chaotic of races couldn’t shake his dominance in 2024.
