Key Highlights
- Max Verstappen rose from 21st on the grid to finish second in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
- Red Bull Racing detected a rear-downforce loss after Verstappen switched to slick tyres.
- Verstappen said he wants to avoid starting from the back or pitlane at next year’s Sao Paulo race.
Max Verstappen completes another remarkable Sao Paulo comeback
Max Verstappen produced another major comeback at Interlagos, finishing second in the Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix after starting 21st. It was the third consecutive year in which the Red Bull Racing driver recovered from a difficult starting position in Brazil. Verstappen won from 17th on the grid in 2024 and drove from the pitlane to the podium last year.
The four-time world champion admitted that his opening lap was not as strong as he had hoped after making a mistake with the clutch. Verstappen also lost time in traffic during the first three corners, while Lewis Hamilton made better progress through the pack.
“To be honest, I had a very slow reaction time off the line because I was holding the clutch wrong. I had to very quickly react and then I was slow off the line, so that was my mistake,” the four-time world champion admitted.
“Then I just got a bit unlucky in the first three corners where there was a traffic jam, three or four cars in front basically blocking how much I could pass. Actually, Lewis had a very good first lap, he could really get through those cars. I was a little bit disappointed that I couldn’t make the same headway.”
Verstappen rapidly cuts through the midfield
Once the initial traffic cleared, Verstappen made rapid progress through the field. He overtook several cars within two laps and soon passed his 2021 championship rival as Red Bull Racing showed strong grip compared with much of the midfield.
“But then, within two laps, I was just flying by cars, almost every corner. We had a lot more grip, I guess, than most in the midfield. I don’t know what lap I was in the top 10, but it all happened very quickly.”
Verstappen continued advancing toward the podium positions and appeared to have a chance of challenging for victory. His prospects changed after the first round of pitstops, however, when the RB22 became significantly more difficult to drive on slick tyres.
Red Bull investigates rear-downforce loss
Verstappen reported severe oversteer in high-speed corners after switching to slick tyres. He said the change in handling raised the possibility of an aerodynamic problem or other damage to the car. Although he was pleased with second place, Verstappen believed the result could have been even stronger if the car had remained in good condition.
“As soon as I switched to the slicks, I had an extreme amount of oversteer in the car in the high-speed corners, which made it super difficult to drive,” he said.
“We need to understand if something broke on the car, some kind of aero loss or whatever, because this was not normal. I sit here, of course, very happy with second, but at the same time, I know there was more in it if the car had been in good shape.
“Unfortunately, that was not the case. I actually did most of the race with a car that was not in good shape.”
Verstappen immediately inspected the rear of the Red Bull after climbing out of the car. Red Bull Racing had already identified a loss of rear downforce in its race data, but the team led by Laurent Mekies did not yet know whether the car had sustained damage or where the problem might have originated.
“But we have to understand why or what went wrong with the car as soon as we went to the slick tyres, because even when I switched back to the Inter tyres at the end, the car was night and day different to my first stint. That shows that there is something wrong,” Verstappen said.
Verstappen wants a stronger starting position next year
The recovery from 21st to second earned Verstappen the Driver of the Day award and extended his reputation for outstanding comeback drives at Interlagos. However, the current runner-up in the championship standings said he would prefer not to repeat the experience next year.
“Maybe next year I’d love to start a bit further up front instead of starting from the back or the pitlane, but we’ll find out next year,” the current runner-up in the championship standings said.
“I like races like this, but next year, let’s try and just start a bit further up front, please. That would be great to start with.”
Why This Matters
Verstappen’s result underlines both the performance of Red Bull Racing in the midfield and the importance of car reliability during changing track conditions. The contrast between the RB22’s first stint and its behaviour on slick tyres also gives the team a specific technical issue to investigate. Understanding the rear-downforce loss will be important for Red Bull Racing as it seeks to prevent similar problems in future races.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Max Verstappen start and finish the Sao Paulo Grand Prix?
Max Verstappen started 21st and finished second for Red Bull Racing.
What problem affected Verstappen’s Red Bull?
After switching to slick tyres, Verstappen experienced extreme oversteer in high-speed corners. Red Bull Racing also detected a loss of rear downforce in its data.
Why was Verstappen’s Sao Paulo result notable?
It was his third consecutive major comeback in Brazil, following a win from 17th in 2024 and a pitlane-to-podium drive last year.
