By James Broughton, November 3, 2024
The 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix showed Lando Norris what it truly means to step up to the next level as Max Verstappen clinched victory after starting 17th on the grid. Verstappen, already operating at an elite level, raised his game even further by winning a rain-soaked and chaotic race, featuring multiple safety cars and two red flag sessions. While some may argue that Verstappen benefited from favorable safety car timing, in such challenging conditions, maintaining focus and minimising errors alone isn’t enough to secure victory.
Staying calm under pressure, judging precisely how fast to push in ever-changing conditions, remaining fiercely determined to make each moment count and the willingness to push that extra bit more, to risk that fraction more at the limit, proved decisive. Verstappen won in a Red Bull that is no longer dominant, but through sheer willpower and skill, he claimed the Brazilian Grand Prix from a seemingly impossible position.
Verstappen may be a pain in the arse at times, but today he elevated his status to an entirely new level, and no one can take that away from him. When he needed a champion’s drive at the most crucial moment, he delivered a performance that truly counted—he stepped up to the next level. If this sounds romanticised, and slightly biased, believe me I have severely criticised Verstappen over the years.
How The Race Unfolded
Max Verstappen claimed a stunning victory at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, charging from a P17 start to his first win since June amid seemingly endless chaos, changing weather conditions and high drama. Lance Stroll’s spin on the formation lap caused confusion around the start procedure, leading to post-race investigations for Lando Norris, George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson.
Russell initially led from Norris as Verstappen steadily moved up the field. After a red flag on Lap 32 due to a crash by Franco Colapinto, Esteban Ocon took the lead, with Verstappen in pursuit. Following another restart due to Carlos Sainz’s crash, Verstappen took control, ultimately winning by a comfortable 19.477 seconds.
Alpine also celebrated, as Ocon and Pierre Gasly secured P2 and P3, propelling the team from ninth to sixth in the constructors’ standings.
By securing victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Verstappen effectively ended Lando Norris’s challenge for the drivers’ championship. While Norris is mathematically still in contention, it would require an extraordinary statistical anomaly for Verstappen to lose the title with only three races remaining.
2024 Brazilian Grand Prix: Race Results
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 2:06:54.430 69 laps
2 Esteban Ocon Alpine +19.477
3 Pierre Gasly Alpine +22.532
4 George Russell Mercedes +23.265
5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +30.177
6 Lando Norris McLaren +31.372
7 Yuki Tsunoda VCARB +42.056
8 Oscar Piastri McLaren +44.943
9 Liam Lawson VCARB +50.452
10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +50.753
11 Sergio Perez Red Bull +51.531
12 Oliver Bearman Haas +57.085
13 Valtteri Bottas Kick Sauber +63.588
14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +78.049
15 Zhou Guanyu Kick Sauber +79.649
DNFs
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari – crash impact
Franco Colapinto, Williams – crash impact
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas – disqualified, marshal intervention
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin – did not start, formation lap incident
Alex Albon, Williams – did not start, qualifying damage
