Track Torque: Rain master shines in Sao Paulo
The Red Bull driver has now put some distance between himself and Lando Norris with this resounding win.
Max Verstappen drove a brilliant race at an appallingly wet Interlagos track to win the Brazilian GP last Sunday.
For two days, the heavens opened in Brazil and the rain pelted down while the best drivers in the world gave us a wonderful display of what they are paid so much money for.
Conditions were, in fact, extremely difficult, and five cars did not finish the race.
It was nothing short of a miracle that as many as 15 cars did drive through the haze to the chequered flag.
Saturday’s qualifying event had to be cancelled and rescheduled for early Sunday morning.
Verstappen started with a penalty for taking a new engine in his car and started 17th on the grid.
After that, he drove like a knife through butter as he carved his way to top spot and finished the race with a lead of almost 20 seconds at the flag.
He redeemed himself of all penalties and was universally acclaimed for his achievement.
Another revelation were the performances of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly in the two Alpines, which performed in quite fantastic fashion in the wet.
I honestly believe that this was also due to the very smooth and seamless power of the Renault engines, which makes them easier to drive in wet conditions.
They both finished on the podium, in second and third positions, respectively, a lucrative and successful achievement.
The team was overjoyed and, I am sure, celebrated into the late hours of Sunday evening.
George Russell finished fourth, playing the role of the most successful driver for the three-pointed star.
He also drove above the norm in what is still a below-par racing car and finished less than a second behind Gasly.
Charles Leclerc was next in the leading Ferrari (Sainz did not finish), with Lando Norris following in the mist, also a second behind Leclerc.
Norris was disappointed with his sixth-place finish.
The next four cars came in at roughly two-second intervals, namely Yuki Tsunoda, Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson and Lewis Hamilton.
The epic race had been red-flagged earlier due to the Colapinto accident (he was okay), and I am sure that all remaining drivers expressed a sigh of relief to finish in one piece after two hours of extremely intense concentration.
The next race takes place in three weeks’ time in Las Vegas, where Lando Norris will be doing his utmost to close the gap on the flying Dutchman, who, this time round, also ended the wet race with a record-fastest lap.
DRIVERS
1 Max Verstappen 393
2 Lando Norris 331
3 Charles Leclerc 307
4 Oscar Piastri 262
5 Carlos Sainz Jr 244
6 George Russell 192
7 Lewis Hamilton 190
8 Sergio Pérez 151
9 Fernando Alonso 62
10 Nico Hulkenberg 31
TEAMS
1 McLaren 593
2 Ferrari 557
3 Red Bull 544
4 Mercedes 382
5 Aston Martin 86
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