São Paulo GP: Verstappen triumphs in rain-hit Brazil thriller
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen rejuvenated his title propsects with a brilliant win in a drama-packed São Paulo Grand Prix at a rain-hit Autódromo José Carlos Pace on Sunday.
Having started from P17, Verstappen charged through the field and benefited from a timely red flag that also put Alpine teammates Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly onto the podium by the chequered flag.
George Russell missed out despite the Mercedes taking the lead in the opening 28 laps until his pit stop, and polesitter Lando Norris ended in sixth all-but ending his 2024 title hopes with three races remaining.
Just a few hours had passed since the end of an incident-packed qualifying session, delayed to Sunday morning because of heavy rain on Saturday. Big crashes meant Carlos Sainz was starting from pit lane while Williams' Alex Albon was out entirely. But it was good for Lando Norris who not only started from pole alongside George Russell, but also title rival Max Verstappen lining up in 17th following a poor qualifying session and a penalty for taking a new engine.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll went for a spin on the formation lap leading to an aborted start. There was general confusion with Norris making a premature start to the second attempt and multiple cars out of position on the grid, all now facing a possible post-race sanction from the stewards. There was a ten minute delay before a successful third attempt finally got the now-69 lap race underway.
Russell successfully ambushed Norris into the first corner with Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon holding on to third and fourth, but Liam Lawson lost fifth to Charles Leclerc. The rain had also started again: Sergio Perez went for a spin but Red Bull team mate Verstappen was in his element. He rapidly shot into the top ten ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Franco Colapinto also gaining four places to P12 in the sole surviving Williams
Verstappen pressed on, making short work of Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso to go into eighth on lap 6 and setting the first of what proved to be naby fastest laps. At the front, Russell was still in the lead but Norris was pulling back within a second of the Mercedes. By lap 8 the rain had eased off and the circuit was already starting to dry, giving the drivers a headache managing their inters.
Verstappen was now bearing down on Piastri for P7, passing him with ease on turn 1 of lap 10. Lawson didn't hamper his stablemate for any longer than necessary, Verstappen now up to sixth and in hot pursuit of Leclerc. By comparison Hamilton had been unable to go with the Red Bull, and was still in P11 complaining about the handling of the Mercedes even before he briefly went off the track at turn 12. Hulkenberg and Colapinto took the opportunity to overtake the Mercedes on lap 12 which left Hamilton in the crosshairs of Sainz.
Russell and Norris continued to pull away at the front, building an eight second lead over Tsunoda, Ocon, Leclerc and Verstappen. Lawson was falling away even faster, but was still able to hold up Piastri. Hamilton's agonies continued as he was picked off by Sainz and Oliver Bearman, although the Haas stand-in had a ten-second penalty to serve for hitting Colapinto at the start. Piastri now got the same penalty after sliding into Lawson, sending the RB man into a spin.
Leclerc and Verstappen were engaged in a ferocious battle over fifth as the rain intensified again. Sainz locked up and ran wide at turn 4 dropping him to P15 and putting Hamilton back ahead. Taking note, Leclerc pitted for a new set of inters on lap 25 as the rain briefly attained torrential levels.
Nico Hulkenberg beached the Haas on a kerb resulting in a Virtual Safety Car n lap 27 triggering a number of pit stops in response. It left Ocon in the lead with Verstappen second from Gasly, all opting not to pit. Russell was fourth but was powerless to prevent Norris splashing his way past. The rain trigged a safety car on lap 30 but it didn't prevent Colapinto losing control and crashing heavily at turn 14 on lap 32 to force a red flag stoppage.
Ocon, Verstappen and Gasly received a 'free' pit stop, the last thing Norris wanted to see. Ocon got a good rolling restart but was soon under pressure from Verstappen as Gasly fell away, but Norris skated wide at turn 4 and lost out to Russell. Leclerc also skidded off and there were multiple moments for Bearman. By contrast Hamilton looked rejuvenated as he passed Lawson and Alonso in rapid succession to bear down on Tsunoda for P8.
The safety car was back out on lap 39 for Sainz spinning out at turn 8 and hitting the wall. There was mayhem at the restart on lap 43, Verstappen snatching the lead from a cautious Ocon while Norris went off line and lost two positions. Leclerc jumped Russell for fourth and Lawson caught Hamilton napping to pick up P9, while Alonso went off track at turn 12 which dropped him to 15th.
Cognisant of his looming ten second penalty, Piastri gifted sixth back to Norris who was immediately on the back of Leclerc after the Ferrari made a mistake and ran off. But there was no stopping Verstappen who was flying away at the front, culminating in a whopping 19.4s advantage over Alpine team mates Ocon and Gasly at the line.
Russell had been looking for a way past the pair for a share on the podium, but the rain holding off left him thwarted and having to settle for fourth from Leclerc and Norris. The remaining points were snapped up by Tsunoda, Piastri, Lawson and Hamilton, with Perez unable to force his way into the top ten before the chequered flag.
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