Max Verstappen revealed he wanted to destroy the Red Bull garage in the hours before he delivered a wet-weather performance for the ages to win the Brazilian Grand Prix and deal a fatal blow to Lando Norris’ championship hopes.
Norris looked set to take a seismic chunk out of Verstappen’s 44-point title lead after he secured pole position in Interlagos while his rival was eliminated in the second phase of qualifying after he fell foul to a red flag following Lance Stroll’s crash.
The shock Q2 exit left Verstappen in 12th, and a five-place grid penalty for an engine change, dropped him to 17th on the grid.
Unbelievable!!!? What a roller coaster… SIMPLY LOVELY ? Thank you everyone @redbullracing ? pic.twitter.com/TFoA2qzHr8
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) November 3, 2024
But a remarkable fightback – which included five consecutive fastest laps and 17 in all – culminated in him passing Alpine’s Esteban Ocon for the lead on lap 43 of 69 before crossing the line 19.4 seconds clear. It was the 62nd, and possibly finest, victory of Verstappen’s glittering career.
For Norris it was a race to forget. He ran off the road twice and finished only sixth. Verstappen, now 62 points clear of the Englishman with just 86 points remaining, can secure his fourth successive world crown in Las Vegas on November 23.
“My emotions were all over the place, from wanting to destroy the garage (after qualifying) to winning the race,” said Verstappen. “It has been a roller coaster.
“It is unbelievable to win here from so far back on the grid. I was expecting to lose points in the championship. Now, I just want clean races. But I am not thinking about clinching the title in Vegas.”
By the end of the first lap, Verstappen was 11th after he passed three drivers in a scintillating opening corner. He then swept ahead of Lewis Hamilton into the first bend on the next lap to take 10th.
On lap five, he was eighth after he moved clear of both Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso before Norris’ McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri offered little resistance to allow Verstappen to breeze past for seventh.
TEAM ?#F1 || #BrazilGP ?? pic.twitter.com/Lmib2vSAnc
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) November 3, 2024
Liam Lawson became Verstappen’s next victim and, when the triple world champion was afforded clear air, he was lapping one second quicker than anybody else. Verstappen’s progress was halted by Charles Leclerc but the Ferrari driver stopped for new tyres on lap 24 to promote him to fifth.
The rain intensified and Nico Hulkenberg’s spin led to a Virtual Safety Car period. In came George Russell and Norris – who had surrendered his lead to the Mercedes driver at the first corner – for fresh intermediate rubber on lap 28. Ocon assumed the lead with Verstappen second.
Moments later, Franco Colapinto was in the wall and race director Niels Wittich stopped the race. The red flag would allow Verstappen a free change of tyres.
A 25-minute delay followed ahead of a rolling start. Ocon retained the lead before Norris ran off the road at the third corner and dropped fifth.
Then, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz thudded the barriers at turn eight on lap 40 to lead to a second safety car.
The race resumed on lap 43 and Verstappen nailed Ocon into the opening bend for the lead.
Behind, and Norris was off the race track again. The British driver fell behind Leclerc and Piastri and he was suddenly seventh. Was that the moment the world championship was lost?
Statement. https://t.co/p1oSITCjCF
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) November 3, 2024
Piastri was ordered out of Norris’ way but the 24-year-old could offer little impression on Leclerc ahead. He crossed the line a sobering half-a-minute behind Verstappen, who ended his streak of 10 Grands Prix without a victory.
“The rain came, we stayed out, which was very sketchy, and I had to just keep the car on track,” continued Verstappen. “It was undriveable in the conditions. I felt like I was driving a boat, or a jet-ski.
“There was a lot at stake because I had to be aware of the championship so for me this is the best one (victory). And it is a massive boost for the team because it has been a tough period.”
Norris was later fined £4,200 for starting a second formation lap before he was permitted. Russell, who began on the front row alongside the McLaren, was handed the same sanction.
He qualified only 16th – knocked out of Q1 for the second time in three races – and finished 10th, 50 seconds behind Verstappen and 27 sec adrift of team-mate Russell, who crossed the line in fourth.
“At least one (Mercedes) car was behaving,” said Hamilton. “It’s like a plank of wood. There’s no suspension. It’s just bouncing on the tyres, everywhere. Can’t get on the power anywhere… I could happily go take a holiday.”
