The 2024 F1 season has been a year of highs and lows for Red Bull and Max Verstappen. Despite dominating the first half of the season, the Dutchman had to go winless in ten races since the Spanish GP, battled Lando Norris and drove around the problems with his RB20 to clinch his fourth consecutive world title.
With many moments to look back on, cherish, and maybe sometimes introspect, the Dutchman has picked his 2024 Sao Paolo GP win as the one he revels in the most.
“Qualifying didn’t go very well and winning the race starting 17th was very emotional. That weekend and that race in particular was very special for me and the whole team,” he said in a recent interview.
Verstappen went into qualifying knowing he had a five-place grid penalty for an additional Internal Combustion Engine unit. To make matters worse, he was knocked out in Q2 with a lap time only good enough for P12. This meant he had to start the race from 17th on the grid.
But he mastered the treacherous conditions at the Interlagos Circuit, putting in a sublime wet-weather drive to snatch the win with a massive 19+ seconds gap.
It was all talent and no luck for Verstappen in Brazil
While drivers around him were losing their concentration and their cars, Verstappen kept his nerve. Moreover, the Red Bull pit wall was also at the top of its game as it waited for the right moment to pit Verstappen.
After the red flag came out for Franco Colapinto’s crash, Red Bull’s waiting game paid off. Lando Norris and George Russell had pulled the trigger on their stops just a few laps before. This meant the Dutchman restarted the Grand Prix before them, in prime condition.
Verstappen then battled the Alpine duo of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly to secure the win. His victory also virtually confirmed that Norris was out of contention for the championship, with Verstappen sealing the title in the very next race in Las Vegas.
In the heat of the moment, Norris was quoted by the media as saying that the 27-year-old’s win was all about luck and not talent. However, with hindsight, the #4 driver retracted those words during the FIA Prize Giving Gala last week.
