In an action-packed qualifying session in Sao Paulo, rain added to the excitement of witnessing cars go around one of the shortest tracks on the F1 calendar. While raindrops kept falling through Q1 and Q2, the heavy onset of rain came with Q3. As such, the drivers did not get as much time to register a fast lap time as they expected. However, a shortage of Quali time was no issue for Max Verstappen, who needed just one flying lap to secure pole position for the Sao Paulo GP.
While Red Bull’s strategy for the Q3 and their belief in Verstappen were on point, Aston Martin also had a strong qualifying session, with Lance Stroll securing P3 and Fernando Alonso securing P4. Having achieved a collective season-best qualifying result, Alonso claimed that his team needed a “nice result” after the last two races, and having started both those races from the pitlanes, Aston Martin has understood a few things and is ready to be competitive once again.
Following the rain-hit qualifying session, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was all smiles with Verstappen’s performance, and he took the time to appreciate not only the Dutchman but also Alonso for their consistency when it comes to driving in the rain (interview clip uploaded on X by ‘Aston Martin F1 Updates’).
“What Max [Verstappen] seems to exceptional at- a bit like Fernando [Alonso]- is just generating tire temp really quickly.”
With the final sprint session of the season up next, Verstappen will be hoping to continue his form and win the session before heading into the race on Sunday. While the grid looks to be extremely close, the 26-year-old would have the upper hand should there be more rainfall in the coming days.
Max Verstappen is unfazed with the prospect of rain
Back in 2016, 19-year-old Max Verstappen first showcased his driving skills on a wet surface when racing came to Sao Paulo. A 71-lap race, riddled with red flags and safety cars, saw the rise of an exciting talent when he tested his tires and brakes in a barely visible track to the limit. The Dutchman seemed on course for the race win, but a gamble with the tire strategy and an unfortunate car spin meant Verstappen had to settle with P3.
While he did not win the race, Verstappen showed why there were already talks in the F1 realm of him being similar to the legendary Ayrton Senna when driving on a wet surface. Helmut Marko was one of the first people to draw comparisons between them, as he claimed that Verstappen was mature beyond his age. Much like Senna, Verstappen also came to the F1 with a championship win in F3. Seven years since his first wet-track display, the three-time world champion is back on the same track, showcasing his talent once again.
