The Formula 1 team came to Brazil straight from Mexico, but this time – in Sao Paulo – the weather was not kind to the drivers. However, there was something to fight for, because the sprint qualifying took place at the Interlagos track on Friday afternoon, and the sprint itself took place on Saturday morning. Ultimately, championship leader Max Verstappen finished fourth in the sprint, while Sergio Perez was eighth.
Max Verstappen in action at Interlagos
© Red Bull Content Pool
The problems began when Saturday qualifying for Sunday’s race was scheduled to take place. It started raining heavily over the Interlagos track, and the organizers kept postponing the start of Q1. Ultimately, they decided that nothing would come of it and the qualifying was moved to Sunday morning. Concerns about Sunday’s weather also resulted in the race start being moved up from 3 p.m. local time to 12:30 p.m. Ultimately, Max Verstappen took twelfth place in qualifying, but had to start from seventh place due to an engine change, and Checo Perez was thirteenth (twelfth at the start). The Dutchman’s main rival, Lando Norris, took pole position, and third place (the best in his career) went to Yuki Tsunoda from the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team!
Yuki Tsunoda excels in rainy qualifying for the Sao Paulo GP
© Red Bull Content Pool
Yuki Tsunoda third in qualifying at Interlagos
© Red Bull Content Pool
A few hours later it was also intense. The race started on a wet surface and intermediate tires. However, already during the warm-up lap, Lance Stroll fell off the track, which delayed the starting procedure. Ultimately, after the start of the race, George Russell from Mercedes took the lead, and after a few corners Verstappen broke through to eleventh place. Unfortunately, Perez had a classic spin on a slippery surface, which meant he fell to the end of the field.
The weather in Brazil was not good for drivers
© Red Bull Content Pool
Meanwhile, Max’s pursuit was in full swing. Already at the beginning of the second lap he overtook Lewis Hamilton and jumped to tenth place. On the fifth lap, the Dutchman dealt with Pierre Gasly, on the sixth with Fernando Alonso, and on the tenth and eleventh – Oscar Piastri and Liam Lawson, respectively, and was already sixth! On lap fourteen, Verstappen caught up with the group fighting for third place, but for a long time he could not cope with Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen in battle at the start of the 2024 Sao Paulo GP
© Red Bull Content Pool
But then, when the Monegasque stopped for new tires, Verstappen picked up the pace again. When the virtual safety car appeared on the track (after Nico Hülkenberg flew off the track), many decided to change tires. Soon, due to the deteriorating conditions, the Safety Car entered the track, and in the lead was… Esteban Ocon, who had eight seconds to spare over Verstappen. Moments later, the race was interrupted due to Franco Calapinto’s accident.
Max Verstappen had to push through at the beginning of the race
© Red Bull Content Pool
After another flying start and the safety car, the competition resumed on lap 44, with Max immediately diving under the Alpine driver and taking the lead. Since then, he has not looked back and gradually increased his advantage over his rivals.
Verstappen’s winning attack on Ocon
© Red Bull Content Pool
Ultimately, Max Verstappen won the F1 race for the 2024 Sao Paulo GP, crossing the finish line with an advantage of almost 20 seconds over second place Esteban Ocon and another three over Pierre Gasly. Thus, the Dutchman won for the eighth time this year, but also for the first time since the Spanish GP in June. The three-time world champion’s main rival, Lando Norris, was sixth, thanks to which Verstappen significantly increased his lead over him in the championship.
Max Verstappen wins the Sao Paulo GP!
© Red Bull Content Pool
Max Verstappen’s eighth win in 2024
© Red Bull Content Pool
Both drivers of the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team also performed well. Yuki Tsunoda, after the best qualifications in his career, finished the race in a very good seventh place. His team-mate Liam Lawson was ninth, at one point fighting fiercely with Sergio Perez. The Mexican ultimately finished just outside the ten points, in eleventh place.
Yuki Tsunoda in action at Interlagos
© Red Bull Content Pool
Liam Lawson in the fight for points
© Red Bull Content Pool
The next round of F1 will take place on November 21-23 at the Las Vegas street track. It is worth remembering that the race will start there on Saturday at 10 p.m. local time, i.e. on Sunday at 7 a.m. our time.
Sao Paulo GP 2024 – F1 race results:
Max Verstappen – Oracle Red Bull Racing – 69 okr.
Esteban Ocon – Alpine +19.477s
Pierre Gasly – Alpine +22.532s
George Russell – Mercedes +23.265s
Charles Leclerc – Ferrari +30.177s
Lando Norris – McLaren +31.372s
Yuki Tsunoda – Visa Cash App RB F1 Team +42.056s
Oscar Piastri – McLaren +44.943s
Liam Lawson – Visa Cash App RB F1 Team +50.452s
Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes +50.753s
Sergio Perez – Oracle Red Bull Racing +51.531s
Ollie Bearman – Haas +57.085s
Valtteri Bottas – Sauber +63.588s
Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin +78.049s
Zhou Guanyu – Sauber +79.649s
Sao Paulo GP 2024 – F1 sprint results:
Lando Norris – McLaren – October 24
Oscar Piastri – McLaren +0.593s
Charles Leclerc – Ferrari +5.656s
Max Verstappen – Oracle Red Bull Racing +6.497s
Carlos Sainz – Ferrari +7.224s
George Russell – Mercedes +12.475s
Pierre Gasly – Alpine +18.161s
Sergio Perez – Oracle Red Bull Racing +18.717s
Liam Lawson – Visa Cash App RB F1 Team +20.773s
Alex Albon – Williams +24.606s
Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes +29.764s
Franco Colapinto – Williams +33.233s
Esteban Ocon – Alpine +34.128s
Ollie Bearman – Haas +35.507s
Yuki Tsunoda – Visa Cash App RB F1 Team +41.374s
Valtteri Bottas – Sauber +43.231s
Zhou Guanyu – Sauber +54.139s
Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin +56.537s
Lance Stroll – Aston Martin +57.983s
F1 general classification after the 2024 Sao Paulo GP:
Max Verstappen – Oracle Red Bull Racing – 393 pkt
Lando Norris – McLaren – 331 pkt
Charles Leclerc – Ferrari – 307 pkt
Oscar Piastri – McLaren – 262 points
Carlos Sainz – Ferrari – 244 points
7 min
For Real: Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen talks about becoming the youngest driver – and race winner – in Formula 1.
The Rain Dance at Interlagos: Max Verstappen Triumphs in Sao Paulo
Ah, Brazil! Known for its beautiful beaches, carnival vibes, and drier jokes than my Uncle Dave’s after three pints. But this weekend at the Interlagos track, it was less about samba and more about soggy surprises. Straight off the heels of a rollercoaster in Mexico, the Formula 1 drivers had arrived in São Paulo, only to find the weather was less kind than a politician with a closed wallet.
The weekend kicked off with sprint qualifying on Friday, and wouldn’t you know it – our championship leader, Max Verstappen, managed to finish fourth, while teammate Sergio Perez lagged behind at eighth. To be fair, that was probably just a weather-induced brain freeze.
Weather Woes and Qualifying Quirks
Oh, those Saturday qualifying woes! Just when it looked like the drivers would finally be allowed to show their stuff, the skies opened up like they were trying to convince us we were actually at a water park. Rain fell heavily, turning the track into a slip ‘n slide for F1 cars, and after a bit of indecision from the organizers, they postponed Q1 to a delightful Sunday morning, which still carried the aroma of disappointment.
When the rain-soaked madness finally resumed, Verstappen secured a dismal twelfth place in qualifying. But thanks to an engine change (because who doesn’t love an unexpected twist?), he was later promoted to start seventh, which is only slightly better than qualifying spots that feel more like being stuck in traffic.
Yet it was rookie sensation 
Let the Race Begin…Sort of
Off we go, in conditions so wet that even dolphins were looking for a ride. The race kicked off, and right from the warm-up lap, it was clear someone had forgotten to tell 
Things picked up when George Russell took the lead like a kid grabbing the remaining cookies from the jar. Verstappen, in his typical style, darted through the pack, leaving Lewis Hamilton wondering if he had accidentally joined a race for bicycles instead. In the flurry, Perez also had a classic blooper moment, spinning out like a top that had just found its groove.
The Chase is On
In a remarkable show of skill (and some luck), Verstappen surged from tenth to sixth within a matter of laps. The dutchman was on fire, overtaking drivers as if they were stationary objects placed deliberately for his amusement. He even had his sights on the top three, but Charles Leclerc was throwing the brakes on that party.
The race effectively turned into a game of strategy when a virtual safety car appeared after Nico Hülkenberg decided to give everyone a good fright by flying off track. Naturally, this brought out the typical “let’s all change tires and see who loses their mind first” maneuver we’ve come to love from F1.
Max’s Moment of Glory
Finally, the safety car came in, and like a lion unleashed from a cage, Verstappen pounced on Esteban Ocon, taking the lead as if it were the last spot on the dance floor. From there, it was smooth sailing. Max won the race by a staggering margin of almost 20 seconds, leaving the competition questioning if they were indeed racing in the same league.
Cheers erupted across the circuit as Verstappen crossed the line, marking his eighth victory of the year. However, let’s not forget the secondary spectacle: Lando Norris, his main rival, finished a rather mundane sixth, which meant Verstappen’s lead just became more troublesome for anyone else hoping to snag the championship.
Full Results Recap
The Sao Paulo GP had plenty to offer and many drivers to cheer for:
Sao Paulo GP 2024 – F1 race results:
- Max Verstappen – Oracle Red Bull Racing – 69 laps
- Esteban Ocon – Alpine +19.477s
- Pierre Gasly – Alpine +22.532s
- George Russell – Mercedes +23.265s
- Charles Leclerc – Ferrari +30.177s
- Lando Norris – McLaren +31.372s
- Yuki Tsunoda – Visa Cash App RB F1 Team +42.056s
- Oscar Piastri – McLaren +44.943s
- Liam Lawson – Visa Cash App RB F1 Team +50.452s
- Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes +50.753s
- Sergio Perez – Oracle Red Bull Racing +51.531s
With that thrilling saga over, the next round of F1 is set for November 21-23 at the glitzy Las Vegas street track. Will the drivers swap their rain jackets for sunglasses? Will there be more drama? Place your bets now, as we revel in the ride!
O Paulo GP”>
As the chequered flag waved, Verstappen celebrated yet another victory, reinforcing his status as the reigning champion with a total of 393 points this season. Lando Norris of McLaren finished in second place, securing 331 points, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium with 307 points. Oscar Piastri from McLaren and Carlos Sainz from Ferrari followed closely, with 262 and 244 points respectively.
The Aftermath: A Race to Remember
In a race filled with unpredictable weather and thrilling overtakes, Max Verstappen displayed his usual dominance and skill. This victory in São Paulo not only added another trophy to his collection but also left fans buzzing with excitement for the remaining races of the season. It’s safe to say that Interlagos continues to be a captivating venue for Formula 1, delivering memorable moments year after year.
So, as we gear up for the upcoming races, one thing is certain: if you thought the carnival vibes of Brazil could distract from the thrill of F1, think again. Until next time, keep your engines roaring and your spirits high!
