Sao Paulo GP: Verstappen masterclass, Norris flops. Game Over!

Sunday, 03 November 2024 at 19:04

Max Verstappen turned P17 on the grid to victory at a dramatic Sao Paulo Grand Prix, a race of two halves on an afternoon that has all but ended Lando Norris' 2024 Formula 1 world title ambitions.

With the victory, his first since June, Verstappen today in Brazil took a giant stride to his fourth F1 world title. On a day Norris was denied luck, good strategy, etc. in an enthralling Grand Prix afternoon in Brazil, run in the wet, with drama in abundance as well as a myriad of talking points.

Victory 62 for Verstappen means an almost unsurmountable points lead of 62 points after Round 21 of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship at Autodromo José Carlos Pace, Interlagos, with three GPs and a Sprint Race remaining.

It was another of those Verstappen masterclasses we rave about. The Mighty Max we admire as he scythed his way through the field early on from a lowly P17 on the grid, making little work of most and going as long as possible as the leaders and most dipped into the pits during a VSC period.

Verstappen stayed out, as did both Alpine drivers. A red flag warranted a restart of the Grand Prix and a free tyre change for the leading trio, who, like the rest of the field, were on fresh Intermediate Pirelli tyres and thereafter controlled the second half of an incredible Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Hence, the beleaguered Alpine team finished a hectic afternoon, with Ocon in P2 and Gasly in P3, a boost to a sad and confusing season for the French team.

The drama began on formation lap when Lance Stroll, who crashed earlier in qualifying, lost control and spun out in Turn 4, clipped the wall, and beached his Aston Martin, prompting a restart. And setting the scene for a chaotic afternoon.

A race of two halves, the first setting the grid for the second

It was a race of two halves, the 'results' of first setting the grid for the second race. The first race was a hot contest between polesitter Lando Norris and George Russell, the Mercedes driver getting a better start leading the McLaren into and through Turn 1.

That's how it stayed until the pair pitted during the late phase of a Virtual Safety Car (VSC), the pair emerging P4 and P5, with Norris nipping ahead of Russell to take P4.

But then Franco Colapinto crashed heavily behind the Safety Car, which forced a red flag stoppage and a free stop for the top three: Esteban Ocon, Max Verstappen, and Pierre Gasly. Yes, Verstappen! The World Champ had carved his way through the field in majestic style, turning P17 on the grid to P2 during the spell of awesomeness.

Hence the 'race two' restart grid was very different to the first start and unexpected, with Ocon lining his Alpine up in pole position with teammate Gasly behind him in P3. Verstappen lined up in P2, with Norris P4 behind him on the second row.

From the restart on Lap 34, Ocon edged ahead, leading by up to 3.2s with Verstappen in P2. A few laps later, Carlos Sainz crashed out and required another safety car.

On lap 43, unleashed again, the field roared into Turn 1 headed by Ocon, but Verstappen nipped onto the inside to grab the lead and power to a comfortable 20-second win over the Alpine in P2, and more importantly for the championship, well ahead of Lando Norris, who crossed the line in P6.

Norris can wave his 2024 F1 title hopes goodbye

sao paulo grand prix Russell and Norris biggest losers by pitting too early

A forgettable afternoon for Norris, who started from pole position but had luck and strategy combined to cost him dearly and firmly place the 2024 F1 title in Verstappen's hands.

The Dutchman said after his 62nd Grand Prix victory: "My emotions today have been a rollercoaster with qualifying being really unlucky with the red flag.

"Starting in P17, I knew it would be a very tough race. We stayed out of trouble, made the right calls, stayed calm, and we were flying. All of these things together. I mean unbelievable. To win here from so far back on the grid... yeah.

"It was very hard to pass around here with the new tarmac. I knew I had to go for it. It was always easy to front lock, but I had confidence in the brakes. Turn One is always a great corner to pass," added Verstappen.

Considering what they have been through in recent years, a double podium was the sweetest result Alpine could. ve dreamt of with their underpowered, heavyweight car, Ocon and Gasly showed their class in the treacherous conditions that prevailed throughout the weekend.

Going long while in a strong position while all others pitted, barring Verstappen of course, the Alpines stayed out to be in the top three when the race was stopped, and with it a free tire pass for the trio at the front.

Ocon looked good for a win until the second restart

After the first restart, Ocon edged ahead, but in the second start, he launched far too late, which allowed Verstappen to get by him in Turn 1 and bolt into the distance. Nevertheless P2 and P3 for a backmarker team on an "anything can happen" kind of day we witnessed in Sao Paulo this weekend.

Ocon said afterwards, "What a day that was after the difficult season." It's really nice to be driving around here and having the performance a bit levelled out in the rain. Someone very important to all of us said a long time ago that in the rain the cars are almost equal and that didn't age at all.

"It's awesome to be on the podium. The car was extremely difficult on the dry, and then I felt at ease when it started to rain. Today has brought a special race for us," added the Frenchman.

His fellow countryman and teammate Gasly was equally delighted with the feat: "It's incredible for the whole team. We had such a tough season and struggled to score points. In these conditions, everything was possible. We believed it to the end.

"Two cars on the podium; I don't think anyone had that on their bingo card ahead of the season. So just fantastic. I'm absolutely buzzing right now. I'm just so proud of the team. To overcome such a tough season, it would have been too easy to give up. But we never gave up, and here we are. A lot of points for the team, and everybody should be very proud today," beamed Gasly.

Russell and Norris biggest losers by pitting too early

Russell might've been on the podium if the race were a couple of laps longer or he had kept on going when he was told to stop for new Intermediates while Verstappen and the Alpines stayed out.

But P4 was a strong showing for an "undrivable" car which teammate Lewis Hamilton claimed the W15 to be. He finished P10 in probably one of the hardest races of his career going toe-to-toe with just about everyone on the day.

After winning the first two GPs of this incredible triple header, Ferrari never quite fired up in Brazil this weekend, their P5 with Charles Leclerc made up for Carlos Sainz crashing out on the day, and thus scoring less points than their closest rivals.

Like Russell in P4, Norris might've won the race. But he too was unlucky with VSC and then did himself no favours when overshooting the restart and losing places and a shot at challenging Verstappen late in the race.

Tsunoda and Lawson impress in Qualifying and Race

Unlikely, as the World Champ had immense pace and an alienlike wizardry in the cockpit, during the final stages of the race. Norris crossed the finish line a whopping 31.0s behind Verstappen. But Oscar Piastri, in the other McLaren, had a worse day at the office. Incurring a penalty on his way to P8 on a below-par day for the usually impeccable Aussie.

Yuki Tsunoda enjoyed his best F1 Qualifying, nabbing P3 on the grid with a gritty performance in Qualifying. Also a victim of too early stop, the VCARB driver may have had a podium had the stars aligned for him he finished P7, splitting the McLarens in the process.

Liam Lawson has shaken up things since he replaced the happlessDnail Ricciardo at VCARB. The New Zealander galvanised the team with his performances and lighting a fire under his teammate Tsuonda.

Lawson gave Red Bull another good reason to sign his for next year for whichever of their teams. We need the kid in F1 as his performance this weekend testified. Not shy of a fight the VCARB rookie finished P9 after another encounter with Fernando Alonso who battled to P14 and Red Bull's Sergio Perez who finished P11.

2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix Result

How the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix unfolded

Pre-Start: After his Qualifying crash earlier in the morning, Albon won't start thus P7 grid slot remains empty. Sainz starts from the pit lane with a new gearbox and new PU, Verstappen five-place grid penalty to P15. Tyre covers off, the entire grid on Pirelli Intermediates.

Drama on the formation lap, Stroll locks up and spears the wall in Turn 4 then beaches his Aston Martin triggering an aborted start. Thereafter confusion reigned, some cars stopped on the grid, others scurrying ahead. Pole man, Norris started the second formation lap before being instructed to do so and paid the price.

Start: Russell gets a great start, nips ahead of Norris to take the lead

Lap 1: Perez spins at Turn 10

Lap 2: Verstappen from P17 on the grid gets past Hamilton in P10.

Lap 5: Norris closing the gap to Russell. Verstappen passes Gasly for P9 in Turn 1.

Lap 6: Verstappen takes P8 from Alonso

Lap 9: Verstappen in Piastri's slipstream. FIA Stewards confirm Bearman at fault in Colapinto clash on opening lap, gets 10s penalty.

Top 10, Lap 10

Lap 10: Verstappen ambushes Piastri into Turn 1 to take P7

Lap 11: Verstappen gets last Lawson with a wave-by.

Lap 12: Ocon harassing Tsunoda for P3. Hamilton goes wide in Turn 12, and Colapinto gets past in Turn 1 to take p12. A battle ensues between the rookie and the seven-time F1 World Champion.

P15: Russell has lead over Norris pegged at one second.

P18: Battle for P3 between Tsunoda, Ocon, Leclerc and Verstappen gets serious, the Dutchman is fastest at this point, the quartet separated by a couple of seconds.

Top 10, Lap 20

Lap 21: Hamilton can't hold off Sainz and Bearman, loses two places and reports over the radio that his his car is "undrivable".

Lap 22: Verstappen and Leclerc intense battle wheel-to-wheel for P5. The Red Bull driver complains about the Ferrari driver's defence. An intriguing contest.

Lap 24: Norris closer to Russell as the rain gets heavier in the last sector. Tsunoda 12.0s behind in P3, fending off Ocon and Verstappen.

Lap 25: Box for Leclerc for fresh Intermediates from P6 to P13.

Lap 26: Norris wants to pit, team says no and tell him to stay out.

Lap 28: VSC as Hulkenberg stops on track! A flurry of pit stops ensues. Perez only one to bolt on Full Wets.

Lap 29: Leaders Russell and Norris pit as VSC ends. Ocon leads! Hulkenberg gets going again.

Top 10, Lap 30

Lap 30: Safety Car deployed. Ocon leads! Verstappen P2 and Gasly P3! The top three have not stopped for new tyres. Norris gets by Russell into P4, they and all behind on fresh rubber. Piastri gets 10.0s penalty for causing a Lawson collision.

Lap 32: Big crash for Colapinto who loses control and slams the wall in the final sector behind the Safety Car. Red flag. Top three biggest winners can bolt on fresher tyres. Biggest losers were Norris and Russell as they sacrificed P1 and P2, pitting at the wrong time.

Lap 33: The Safety Car unleashes the field

Lap 34: Norris off Turn 4 and Russell takes P4. Norris down to P5. Verstappen in P2.

Lap 35: Hamilton finds pace, and overtakes Alonso for P9.

Lap 36: Ocon leads by 3.2s from Verstappen. Bearman loses it in Turn 6, clips barriers and down to P16.

Top ten after 40 laps

Lap 40: Sainz spins in Turn 8 into the wall. Safety Car deployed.

Lap 43: Verstappen gets by Ocon into Turn 1 and gaps it. Norris goes wide, emerges P7!

Lap 46: Verstappen edging ahead of Ocon. In Turn 4, Piastri waves through Norris for P6.

Lap 50: Verstappen leads Ocon by 5.7s, who is 3.5s behind his teammate. Russell in P4 is 1.5s adrift with Leclerc a further 5.7s back holding up the McLarens.

Lap 54: Perez battling Lawson for P9, with Hamilton watching the pair.

Lap 55: Lawson fends off an attack from Perez through Turn 1 and Turn 2, allowing Hamilton to pounce and snatch P10 from the Red Bull driver.