Coronation in Las Vegas possible: Verstappen triumph in the rain chaos – “In a world of his own”

Max Verstappen shouted his joy loudly, climbed onto his Red Bull with his arms outstretched and hugged his crew. “Yesssssssss! What an incredible race, boys. Do you know what it is: simply wonderful,” said the triumphant after a chaotic and, above all, memorable race in São Paulo. “He was in a world of his own,” said Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko to the TV channel Sky: “Such a demonstration blew everything up and is the right answer to everything that has happened in the last few weeks.”

With a world championship catch-up to his first Grand Prix victory after 133 days, the 27-year-old Dutchman in the Red Bull put himself in position for the early World Cup coronation in the gambling paradise of Las Vegas in just three weeks. On a Formula 1 weekend marked by storms, crashes, safety car phases and red flags on the Interlagos drama circuit, Verstappen raced from 17th place to victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix in front of enthusiastic fans. “I hope they had fun,” said the winner, whose Brazilian girlfriend Kelly Piquet watched him on the podium with tears in her eyes.

World Cup preliminary decision after Norris’ mistakes?

Pursuer Lando Norris failed to further reduce the gap to Verstappen after a victory given by his teammate in the sprint race the day before and the Pole for the Grand Prix. On the contrary: he had to accept what could have been a decisive defeat after several mistakes in the World Cup duel with the Dutchman. The 24-year-old didn’t get past sixth place in the McLaren – and also has to fear a penalty for a possible starting offense.

In the standings he is now 62 points behind Verstappen, who also grabbed the extra point for the fastest lap. In the Nevada desert, Verstappen can now afford to lose two points to Norris and still be crowned world champion for the fourth time in a row. Alpine pilot Esteban Ocon and teammate Pierre Gasly raced onto the podium, completely unexpectedly. Nico Hülkenberg didn’t finish in the chaos of Interlagos, he saw the black flags after getting help from outside and had to get out of his Haas early.

Verstappen and the race stewards: “We feel treated unfairly”

For Verstappen, a weekend ends with maximum reconciliation, which for a long time looked like another Grand Prix of anger and frustration for him. “My emotions have been a rollercoaster today,” he said.

After receiving two time penalties in Mexico City a week ago, he had to go back to the race stewards before the main race. This time they gave him five seconds into the sprint and he fell from third to fourth place. That cost him another point in the duel with Norris, who had been given the victory over the 100 kilometers by teammate Oscar Piastri.

But that’s not enough. In the qualification, which had been postponed until Sunday morning at 7.30 a.m. local time after a storm on Saturday, Verstappen saw himself as the victim of a rather late red phase after one of a total of five accidents on the track, which was again wet: “That’s bullshit,” cursed he and angrily hit his steering wheel. Red Bull’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko emphasized: “The mood is not very positive, we feel we are being treated unfairly. That gives us something to think about.”

Because he also needed a new engine in Brazil and was moved back five places, Verstappen had to start from 17th place. And like the day before, dark clouds gathered. Because heavy rain was forecast again, the race was scheduled an hour and a half earlier. Nevertheless, the display board read: “100 percent risk of rain for the Formula 1 race.”

Norris botches the start once again

The fact that the first rider was caught on a slightly drying track was both surprising and embarrassing. But after Lance Stroll drove slightly into the tire wall, he also got stuck in the gravel trap. The start was canceled, and this weekend on the legendary course in Interlagos couldn’t happen without drama and chaos.

The problem: Norris and some people behind him drove off after the start was aborted. Now the British, among others, were being investigated, even though they hadn’t even completed a race lap yet. The race stewards didn’t want to make a decision until after the Grand Prix.

When it finally started, Norris once again didn’t get off well and George Russell passed on the inside in the Mercedes. The start remains a problem for the World Cup challenger. Norris was unable to convert four of his six poles before this race into wins.

Verstappen’s impressive comeback

At the back, Verstappen gained seven places within a very short time and then continued to work his way up. He showed what class the 27-year-old Dutchman has in these conditions. Even without the DRS overtaking aid, he grabbed one after the other, Piastri also had to believe in it, but he hardly put up any resistance. At the front, Norris complained that he was too slow on the straights to overtake Russell.

Before the rain got heavier, Hülkenberg arranged for a virtual safety car phase, which Russell and Norris used to change tires. Verstappen stayed out and was now suddenly in second place behind the surprisingly leading Ocon and ahead of Gasly, Norris and Russell.

But then the race management sent out the safety car because it was too wet again. So much so that it hit someone again. Franco Colapinto destroyed his Williams – he and his teammate Alexander Albon had already caused red phases with violent departures in qualifying.

Verstappen can catch up with Vettel

Albon couldn’t even start because the repair work was too extensive. For shooting star Colapinto, a week that was overshadowed by his grandfather’s death ended with his first major disappointment.

Just like the restart after the break for Norris. Instead of getting past Gasly, he braked, went off the track and had to let Russell overtake him again. At the front, Verstappen seemed to play it safe in the tricky conditions, passing Ocon after another safety car phase, and Norris continued to brake again.

For Verstappen, who has now been ahead in the World Cup for longer than the previous record holder Michael Schumacher ever was, it could have been the decisive race on the way to his fourth World Cup title, with which he and ex-pilots Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost would catch up. Only the record champions Lewis Hamilton and Schumacher (7) and Juan Manuel Fangio (5) won more titles.