In recent F1 history, very few drives have been as memorable as Max Verstappen’s recovery at Interlagos last year. Not only was it a stunning recovery from the back of the grid, but it also effectively sealed the Championship in his favor, and fans were amazed to see the Dutchman at his brilliant best. Personally, however, it wasn’t that great of a feeling.
Verstappen was talking about his favorite race wins so far during a Q&A session for Team Redline when he brought Brazil up. He looked back on it as an important victory but also admitted that the conditions that afternoon made it difficult to savor the moment.
“That was very stressful in the wet,” Verstappen said. “And coming from the back. It’s of course enjoyable afterward but at the time, like when you’re driving, it’s not that enjoyable. It’s quite stressful, you don’t want to crash.”
From P17 to P1
A stunning drive from Laureus Award winner Max Verstappen to win the dramatic Sao Paulo Grand Prix #F1 | #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/tpWXqcyzH0
— Laureus (@LaureusSport) November 3, 2024
Everything went against Verstappen in the Sao Paulo GP race weekend. He had already taken a five-place grid penalty for overusing engine components before qualifying began, and finishing P12 in that session worsened the situation. The Red Bull driver had to start from P17, as a result.
But on a day when everyone around him was spinning out and crashing, Verstappen put up a wet-weather masterclass to cross the chequered flag in P1. It was a drive, considered by many in the F1 community, to be among the all-time greats.
The fact that he drove it in a Red Bull car that had given him sleepless nights because of its poor handling, made it even better.
Verstappen’s battle with Red Bull’s performance
Being the generational talent he is, Verstappen managed to hold on to his early season lead at the end of the 2024 campaign despite Red Bull’s car being incredibly underwhelming. After winning seven out of the opening ten races, Verstappen managed just two in the remaining 14.
Pulling off a ‘Sao Paulo 2024’ won’t be possible in every race, and Verstappen knows that. So, 2025 could prove to be a very difficult year for him considering McLaren and Ferrari are expected to be faster.
“If we continue like this, I will not be champion next year. It’s that simple,” the 27-year-old said, a few weeks after winning his fourth title. He urged Red Bull to ‘wake up’, and address the issues which have been plaguing them head-first.
There is little doubt that if given a competitive enough car, Verstappen will mount up a strong title challenge once again. Whether that will happen or not, remains to be seen.
