Verstappen Masters the Chaos in Sao Paulo, Alpine Shocks with Double Podium.
The Brazil Grand Prix in Sao Paulo served up a spectacle so chaotic you could’ve kicked yourself for not catching it live. Max Verstappen, despite starting from a lowly P17, stormed his way to a dazzling victory.
The tone for the day was set on the formation lap, where Lance Stroll decided to test the grip levels of his Aston Martin a little too enthusiastically. The result was a spin that threw the starting grid into utter confusion.
Some cars peeled off for a fresh formation lap led by pole-sitter Lando Norris, while others stayed put, creating a messy situation.
Among those potentially in hot water were Norris, George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson, all under investigation for a start procedure infringement.
Once the lights went out, Russell bolted into an early lead, followed closely by Norris. Meanwhile, Verstappen, unfazed by his starting position, began slicing through the field with precision.
The first half of the race was a dance with the weather gods, with intermittent rain making tyre strategy a gamble. On Lap 32, Franco Colapinto’s crash in his Williams triggered a red flag, just as Russell and Norris had gambled on pit stops under a Virtual Safety Car.
When the race resumed, Esteban Ocon found himself in the unlikeliest of positions: leading, with Verstappen breathing down his neck and Pierre Gasly keeping him company in third. After another Safety Car caused by Carlos Sainz’s crash, Verstappen pounced like a lion on the hunt, reclaiming the lead with authority.
While Verstappen’s win was expected (eventually), what came as a delightful surprise was Alpine’s performance. Ocon and Gasly held firm, delivering a rare double podium for the French team. From ninth to sixth in the Constructors’ standings.
Russell salvaged fourth place for Mercedes, while Charles Leclerc managed a respectable fifth for Ferrari. As for Norris, sixth was a bitter pill to swallow, especially considering the promising start. His McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, crossed the line seventh but later received a 10-second penalty for a scuffle with Lawson, dropping him to eighth.
Tsunoda quietly slipped into seventh, giving RB something to cheer about, as Lawson rounded out the top nine. Lewis Hamilton, not one to be left out, snagged the final point after a gritty battle with Sergio Perez, who had to settle for P11.
Haas rookie Ollie Bearman had an eventful afternoon, from off-track excursions to a penalty for a collision with Colapinto, finishing 12th. Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu kept things steady for Kick Sauber in 13th and 15th, with Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin sandwiched between them.
The race wasn’t kind to everyone. Sainz and Colapinto ended their day in the garage, Hulkenberg was black-flagged for requiring outside assistance, and Stroll and Alex Albon didn’t even make it to the starting grid. The rain always brings a spectacle to the Brazil grand prix.
As the chequered flag waved, Verstappen’s margin of victory was a commanding 19.477 seconds. Reflecting on his rollercoaster weekend, Verstappen said, “Starting P17, I knew it was going to be tough, but we kept our heads down, stayed calm, and made the right calls. To win from so far back? Unbelievable.”
On a day where chaos reigned supreme, Verstappen’s calm mastery stood out. For Alpine, a rare double podium will be celebrated long into the night.
Photo Credits: Formula One Content Pool
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