F1
Max Verstappen crowns historic race in São Paulo
The Red Bull driver and reigning world champion had another great weekend, finishing back on the podium at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
It was another great weekend for Max Verstappen who won the Brazilian Grand Prix in style, the bad weather and heavy rain forcing him to bring out his best driving skills. The Dutchman started from 17th position at the Autodromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo to demonstrate his dominance and see the checkered flag in first place.
Verstappen against the odds
To put the Red Bull driver’s achievements into perspective, this is only the fifth time that a driver starting 17th (or lower) has won a Formula 1 race in a total of 1,121 races.
Max Verstappen had to start from 17th position after finishing 12th in qualifying, but received a five-place grid penalty for changing his engine.
It is worth highlighting the great race of the Alpine team, with Esteban Ocon in second and Pierre Gasly in third, achieving their best performances so far in the F1 season.
2024 drivers' championship standings
- Max Verstappen | 393 points | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT
- Lando Norris | 331 points | McLaren Mercedes
- Charles Leclerc | 307 points | Ferrari
- Oscar Piastri | 262 points | McLaren Mercedes
- Carlos Sainz | 244 points | Ferrari
- George Russell | 192 points |Mercedes
- Lewis Hamilton | 190 points |Mercedes
- Sergio Pérez | 151 points | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT
- Fernando Alonso | 62 points | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes
- Nico Hulkenberg | 31 points | Haas Ferrari
- Yuki Tsunoda | 28 points | RB Honda RBPT
- Pierre Gasly | 26 points | Alpine Renault
- Lance Stroll | 24 points | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes
- Esteban Ocon | 23 points | Alpine Renault
- Kevin Magnussen | 14 points | Haas Ferrari
- Alexander Albon | 12 points | Williams Mercedes
- Daniel Ricciardo | 12 points | RB Honda RBPT
- Oliver Bearman | 07 points | Ferrari
- Franco Colapinto | 05 points | Williams Mercedes
- Liam Lawson | 04 points | RB Honda RBPT
- Zhou Guanyu | 0 points | Kick Sauber Ferrari
- Logan Sargeant | 0 points | Williams Mercedes
- Valteri Bottas | 0 points | Kick Sauber Ferrari
Norris jumps the gun
Lando Norris finished sixth behind Charles Leclerc, but the McLaren Mercedes now faces a post-race investigation after an aborted start incident - his car was one of five that suffered damage in the damp conditions during qualifying.
The Briton, along with George Russell and Yuki Tsunoda, took off when the yellow lights went out and not when the green light turned on. As a consequence, Norris could be hit with a penalty while Russell and Tsunoda have been absolved of any blame.
A stewards statement read: “The FIA Formula One Race Director initiated the Aborted Start procedure indicating that the drivers should not leave the grid. This message was necessary as there was a car off the track in Turn 4 (STR) that needed to be recovered. Although the signal was appropriately given the light panel illuminated as prescribed, and the teams notified by the messaging system, the driver left the grid and proceeded on a lap that he assumed to be an extra formation lap.
“As the driver was on the front row of the grid this triggered following drivers to take similar action. At some point the Race Director realizing that for practical reasons all cars would now need to do an extra formation lap gave an instruction to the teams for all cars to proceed and return to the grid to follow the correct aborted start procedure. In the opinion of the stewards the driver NOR precipitated the action of the drivers on the grid directly behind him”.