F1
Max Verstappen "didn't expect at all" his podium finish at the Brazilian GP
© DPPI
Not even rain needed for Max Verstappen The Dutchman once again delivered a comeback that only he seems capable of on the Interlagos asphalt. In 2016, Verstappen had already amazed the Brazilian crowd by climbing from sixteenth to third place in torrential rain. In 2024, he was penalized and relegated to 17th. Yet Max Verstappen repeated the feat to take the victory. This year, the four-time world champion achieved another feat – this time in the dry! While he was aiming for seventh place at best, as he told Canal+ before the race, he did much better. The Dutchman finished in third place after a thrilling duel for second with rookie Kimi Antonelli.
« It was an action-packed race, that's for sure! I had to overtake quite a few cars coming out of the pits. I think we had a really good pace throughout the race. To be on the podium after starting from the pits, I wasn't expecting that at all.Verstappen admits to the F1 after the Grand PrixAnd all that with a puncture early in the race! It's a very good result for us, I'm really delighted.
Starting 19th and finishing third, Max Verstappen overtook almost the entire field. A remarkable feat, even for him. I was trying to overtake the others as quickly as possible because we didn't want to lose too much time, but there were sometimes DRS trains so it wasn't easy. analyzes the title holder. Finishing just ten seconds from victory is truly incredible for us. »
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For Max Verstappen, the title is already a distant memory.
However, this podium finish seemed like a mirage the day before after the Sprint race, where Verstappen was sorely lacking in pace. He therefore praised the work of Red Bull who managed to reverse the trend and propel his car to the front. "II am very proud of all the team members, he congratulates. Yesterday was a very difficult day for us. We didn't give up, we kept working to find performance and I think we found it today. »
Forced out early in Q1 – a first since the 2021 Russian Grand Prix – Verstappen was due to start 16th before being relegated to the pits following an engine change. From there, he staged a spectacular comeback… but it wasn't enough to reignite his quest for a fifth title. There's not much to say about the championship, he declared without illusions to Canal+ microphones. I think we lost him a long time ago. We had some good times, of course. This weekend was a bit of a mess. Luckily, it's ending on a more promising note. »
Mathematically, the four-time world champion is still in contention for the title. With three races remaining, Max Verstappen remains in contention… and the Brazilian Grand Prix certainly demonstrated that he should never be written off too quickly.
ALSO READ > Norris untouchable, Hamilton looks glum: the Brazilian Grand Prix ratings
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Yves-Henri RANDIER
10/11/2025 at 06:07 a.m.
After walking on water at Interlagos 2024, he almost repeated the feat on the resurfaced tarmac of Interlagos 2025. A brilliant move by Red Bull Racing, who broke into parc fermé after their disappointing qualifying performance to completely overhaul their car and adopt a different setup, with adjustments tested by Tsunoda and Buemi putting in extra hours in the Milton Keynes simulator! Vincent made a good point about the impact of this power unit change on the 2025 budget cap...
vincent moyet
10/11/2025 at 12:04 a.m.
First, yes, Verstappen is in the same league as Senna or Schumacher, capable of rocketing back from last place, and yet I don't particularly like him. Second, I initially thought RBR had given him the sprint setup to climb back up the order, even if it meant starting from the pits. In fact, they seem to have changed the engine, which has led Stella to question whether they might be exceeding the budget cap. To be continued...
Lucas Paul
10/11/2025 at 09:25 a.m.
What bothers me about Max is that suddenly, after his "failure" in qualifying, his car is miraculously resurrected... so let's ask ourselves, who is protecting the FIA to screw over McLarens?????? That's not good!
Alain Féguenne (🇱🇺 Luxembourg)
10/11/2025 at 01:16 a.m.
Max... is a phenomenon... 👍 (Whether you like him or not) A true champion, 4 F1 World Championship titles...‼️ a champion of the same caliber as Ayrton and Michael... 👍 😎👀🧢👀‼️
vincent moyet
10/11/2025 at 12:47 a.m.
He would truly be an exceptional driver if he could shake off this unsportsmanlike behavior that tarnishes his image and which he doesn't need. He was greatly helped by Piastri, who gained him two positions: Leclerc, whom he eliminated, and himself after his penalty. It's high time to stop letting the Australian play his cards right and play into Verstappen's hands. The die is cast at McLaren, and the opponent to contain is Verstappen to secure a one-two finish in the drivers' championship.