Max Verstappen delivers a championship drive in chaotic F1 São Paulo Grand Prix

11/03/2024 12:57 PM

Lando Norris and McLaren had the advantage Sunday in São Paulo, but Max Verstappen carried the day

The 2024 Formula 1 season has offered no shortage of twists and turns. With a title fight shaping up between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen for the Drivers' Championship, and a three-way fight in the cards between McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull for the Constructors' Championship — along with all the other fights, battles, and drama playing out up and down the grid — the producers at Drive to Survive will have no shortage of storylines for the next season.

However, they might devote an entire episode to the chaos that was Sunday's São Paulo Grand Prix.

From Lance Stroll sliding off the track and into the gravel on the formation lap, to Norris leading the grid around Interlagos on an unauthorized second formation lap, to Nico Hülkenberg receiving a black flag disqualification for getting pushed on the track by stewards, through all the rain and wet conditions, unadulterated chaos was the phrase of the day in São Paulo.

But when the puddles settled and the checkered flag flew, Max Verstappen had managed to turn what began as a dream scenario for McLaren and Norris as perhaps the moment he slammed the door shut on any idea of a title fight, and secured his fourth-straight Drivers' Championship.

Verstappen, shockingly eliminated in Q2 earlier in the day and facing a five-place grid drop due to a new Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) installed on his RB20 this week, began the São Paulo Grand Prix down in P17. Meanwhile Norris, facing elimination himself in Q1 earlier in the day, began up front after capturing pole position during qualifying.

However, as the Grand Prix unfolded Verstappen managed to slice through the field, and the chaos, and get himself into first the points, and then a podium position. He was in second behind Esteban Ocon for a restart following a Carlos Sainz Jr. spin into the barrier on Lap 40 but managed to overtake Ocon for the lead off that restart, putting himself in tremendous shape for his first Grand Prix victory since the Spanish Grand Prix at the end of June.

Of course, the dramatic 2024 F1 season still had a few twists in the tale on offer. With the rain easing, but more looming before the finish, the door was open to one final chaotic turn to the story.

The closest we came was a battle for the final podium position, however that clash between George Russell and Pierre Gasly eased. Ahead of that battle, Verstappen drove away from the field to capture the win, picking up fastest lap after fastest lap as he wound around Interlagos, finishing the day with the win, and the bonus point.

He was not the only driver to deliver some magic Sunday in Interlagos, as the Alpine duo of Ocon and Pierre Gasly shocked the field with a double-podium result as Ocon took second, and Gasly third. The massive haul of points vaulted Alpine forward in the Constructors' Championship standings, pushing Alpine up to sixth from ninth.

It was Gasly's fifth career podium, and Alpine's first double-podium result since 2013, when they were racing under the Lotus branding.

"I'm very happy to be on the podium, I think it's been awesome, and the support I receive here from all the Brazilian fans has been incredible," said Ocon to Rubens Barrichello trackside after the race.

"I felt at ease when it started to rain," added Ocon. "I love it here when it rains."

"It's incredible for the whole team," said Gasly. "In these conditions everything was possible ... two cars on the podium, I don't think anyone would have had that on their bingo card.

"Yesterday the pace on the dry was good, I finished seventh," added Gasly. "I'm absolutely buzzing right now. I'm just so proud of the team.

"We never gave up."

But the story was Verstappen, and a drive for the ages. In a surefire Hall of Fame career, the Red Bull driver delivered an epic performance, carving his way through the grid and the rain to put one hand on his fourth-straight Drivers' Championship.

"My emotions today have been a roller coaster," said Verstappen to Rubens Barrichello trackside after the race. "Starting P17 I knew it was going to be a very tough race. But we stayed out of trouble, we made the right calls, we stayed calm, and we were fine."

Verstappen had a lead of 44 points over Norris in that race coming into the day but leaves with a lead of 62 points.

With just three race weekends remaining.

Here are the full results from a dramatic, and chaotic, São Paulo Grand Prix: