F1 returns to Sao Paulo this weekend which gives us a chance to look at one of the all-time great F1 drives, Max Verstappen\u2019s 2024 win.<\/p>\n
Interlagos had plenty of moments of history even before 2024 but another was added with a stunning victory for Verstappen, seeing him go from 17th on the grid to first and proving himself as a master of the wet conditions. Here\u2019s how the event unfolded.<\/p>\n
Revisited: Max Verstappen\u2019s stunning Sao Paulo win in 2024<\/p>\n
The context<\/p>\n
Verstappen may have won the title in 2024 but anyone that remembers the season will know the second half of the year had him very much on the back foot.<\/p>\n
Having won seven of the opening 10 races, the Dutchman would then go on a nine-race winning drought leading all the way up to Interlagos.<\/p>\n
In that time, the RB20 had fallen down the pecking order with McLaren in particular making gains. Come the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend, the championship lead that was once 81 was down to 47.<\/p>\n
The chances of anyone but Verstappen winning the title still seemed unlikely but he was in need of a momentum-swinging moment when F1 returned to one of its most iconic tracks.<\/p>\n
Qualifying<\/p>\n
Even before the race began, the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix was already unusual.<\/p>\n
A huge storm on Saturday forced the FIA to delay qualifying to the same day as the race for the first time in nine years, but even when the drivers did get out on track, conditions were far from easy.<\/p>\n
Q1 saw a number of drivers off the track but the red flag was flown when Franco Colapinto crashed his Williams into the barriers.<\/p>\n
At the time, Verstappen was only P7 on the timing charts.<\/p>\n
When the drivers did get back out, it was anything but easy going. Lewis Hamilton was knocked out while Norris could only manage P15.<\/p>\n
But Q2 was to claim another World Champion as Verstappen was on his final flying lap when Lance Stroll careered off into the barriers and brought out the red flag with 46 seconds left on the clock.<\/p>\n
It resulted in Verstappen being knocked out in Q2 for the first time and coupled with a five-place grid penalty for taking a new engine, the Dutchman would start all the way back in 17th.<\/p>\n
More on Max Verstappen from PlanetF1.com The race<\/p>\n In the entire history of Formula 1, just two times had a driver won from P17 before Sao Paulo 2024.<\/p>\n The first came in 1982 in Detroit with John Watson winning a race that saw 18 cars not reach the end. The next was Kimi Raikkonen\u2019s heroic drive at Suzuka in 2005. The club was about to get its newest member.<\/p>\n Verstappen\u2019s task was made a little easier after Alex Albon was unable to start, while Stroll went off on the formation lap and got stuck in the wet gravel to give Verstappen another free position gain.<\/p>\n The unusual race got even weirder when Verstappen was one of few cars to remain in his grid box after plenty took off for what they thought was another formation lap.<\/p>\n After the race eventually did get away, there were no more free position gains and from then on, it was all the skill of the driver.<\/p>\n By the time he reached Turn 1, Verstappen was P12 and he began lap two by overtaking Hamilton to move into P10.<\/p>\n Turn 1 would prove to be a favourite overtaking spot for the Dutchman as he moved past Pierre Gasly there on lap five and Oscar Piastri on lap 10. A lap later and he was in seventh.<\/p>\n Lap 23 saw the heavens open and send panic amongst the pit wall. Charles Leclerc pitted for full wets, while Norris and George Russell also left for some fresh rubber.<\/p>\n But this was the moment that Verstappen most excelled, more than any overtake he managed.<\/p>\n While those around him deemed the track too wet to continue, Verstappen told Red Bull to \u201ctry a lap\u201d, leaving just he and Esteban Ocon up front as the drivers who did not pit.<\/p>\n Their prayers were answered when a safety car came out, giving Verstappen the chance of a cheaper pit stop, but Colapinto\u2019s crash changed the game.<\/p>\n The race was red flagged with Ocon in front and Verstappen in P2.<\/p>\n Fresh tyres were fitted onto the Red Bull and the top three consisted of Ocon, Verstappen and Gasly.<\/p>\n Sainz was the next man to spin, hitting the wall and bringing out the safety car which gave Verstappen 26 laps to get past leader Ocon.<\/p>\n He needed just one corner.<\/p>\n That favoured spot of Turn 1 saw him dive down the inside and brake late to take the lead for the first time in the race.<\/p>\n It was as if the racing gods were smiling down on Verstappen as the rain eased off, meaning the Dutchman could enjoy a relatively calm end to what was a masterpiece of racing.<\/p>\n The reaction<\/p>\n Plaudits rightly flooded in for Verstappen after the race with many calling it one of the great drives in F1 history.<\/p>\n The Dutchman himself said it was a \u201crollercoaster\u201d and one where every decision was the correct one.<\/p>\n \u201cMy emotions today have been a rollercoaster,\u201d he said. \u201cWith qualifying being really unlucky with the red flag, starting 17th, I knew that would be a tough race but we stayed out of trouble, we made the right calls, we stayed calm and we were fine.<\/p>\n \u201cSo all of these things together make that result possible but I think it\u2019s unbelievable to win here from so far back on the grid.\u201d<\/p>\n His boss Christian Horner described it as a \u201cmasterclass\u201d and a result that was \u201cbeyond our wildest dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a masterclass from Max,\u201d Horner said. \u201cIn difficult conditions on a very dreary day, he shone very brightly. To come from 17th on the grid, to have the patience, but also the attacking.<\/p>\n \u201cHe had his start, his first lap was outstanding. I think he passed six cars on the first lap. To win from that far back was beyond our wildest dreams this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n It was not just those in Red Bull colours praising Verstappen either. Hamilton described it as an \u201camazing drive\u201d while Fernando Alonso said it was \u201cfantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n Ferrari\u2019s Leclerc said it was Verstappen that made the difference.<\/p>\n \u201cWe knew the Red Bull would be good today, but honestly I think today it was more Max that made the difference than the car,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n David Coulthard suggested it was \u201cthe reason why I think I fell in love with this sport.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was about wanting to see excellence, seeing people doing things that you go, \u2018That\u2019s unbelievable\u2019 but it is a fact,\u201d Coulthard said on the Formula for Success podcast.<\/p>\n On the title front, it all but assured the elimination of the trophy.<\/p>\n Verstappen left Brazil with a gap of 62 points and momentum firmly back on his side, clinching a fourth consecutive title at the following round in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
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