Verstappen stuns in Sao Paulo with win from 17th on the grid

SAO PAULO (Agencies): Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had his fourth Formula One title within reach after a stunning drive to victory from 17th on the grid in Brazil on Sunday dealt a shattering blow to Lando Norris’s hopes. Norris, who started the wet and chaotic Sao Paulo race on pole position and 44 points behind Verstappen, finished sixth for McLaren. The title gap blew out to 62 points with three rounds remaining and 86 points still to be won. If results go his way, Verstappen could hit the championship jackpot in the next race down the floodlit Las Vegas Strip on Nov. 23.

In a crash-strewn race shortened to 69 laps, halted after 33 and re-started, Verstappen took his eighth win of the season ––– and one of the best of his career ––– by 19.477 seconds and with a bonus point for fastest lap. “We stayed out of trouble, we made the right calls and stayed calm and we were flying so all of these things together made that result possible,” said Verstappen. “But I mean unbelievable, to win here from so far back on the grid.” Team boss Christian Horner acclaimed a masterclass of a drive from one of the greats, the win stopping the rot at Red Bull and ending a 10-race losing streak for their Dutch driver dating back to Spain in June.

ASTONISHING ALPINE:

Amid the mayhem at Interlagos, Alpine took an astonishing points bonanza with Esteban Ocon second and Pierre Gasly third ––– rocketing the Renault-owned team from ninth to sixth in the standings. “I don’t think anyone would have got that on their bingo card, it’s just fantastic,” said Gasly. George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fifth. Yuki Tsunoda was seventh for RB with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri eighth after a 10-second penalty, Liam Lawson ninth for RB and Mercedes’s seven-times champion Lewis Hamilton 10th. Verstappen now has 393 points to Norris’s 331, with Leclerc on 307. McLaren lead the constructors’ standings with 593 points to Ferrari’s 557. “It was a tough day, I did my best. I’ve had a lot of good races, it was about time that something didn’t go right,” said Norris, who won the Saturday sprint. He ended the race under investigation for a procedural breach at the start but kept the position after stewards imposed a reprimand and 5,000 euros ($5,438) fine. Russell received the same punishment. Mercedes were also fined a total of 10,000 euros for tyre pressure breaches.

EARLY CALL:

The day started early, with qualifying held at 0730 local after rain forced a postponement on Saturday. Verstappen was caught out by red flags in that session, his 12th place on the grid becoming 17th after an engine penalty was applied. The first race start was aborted when Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll went off on the formation lap in treacherous conditions, with Norris then leading some of the cars away before the overhead lights had changed to signal permission to move. With only two cars behind him on the grid, and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz starting from the pitlane, Verstappen scythed through the field and was 10th after two laps while Norris lost out to Russell at the start. The virtual safety car was deployed on lap 28, after Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg had spun off, with Russell and Norris pitting in increasing rain. That turned out to be an unfortunate call as Verstappen, Ocon and Gasly stayed out. The full safety car was then deployed before Argentine rookie Franco Colapinto crashed shortly after pitting, scattering debris across the track and halting the race. Colapinto was the sole Williams driver on track after Alex Albon crashed in qualifying and the team were unable to repair his car in the limited time available. After a 25-minute delay, Ocon led a rolling re-start and Verstappen then took the lead on lap 43, three laps after Sainz crashed at turn eight and triggered another safety car period. Hulkenberg was excluded for receiving assistance from marshals after spinning off and beaching his car on a drain on lap 27.