Max Verstappen once again showcased the strength of Red Bull in Formula 1. At the Brazilian Grand Prix, the four-time world champion started from the pit lane and finished on the podium after a stunning performance. It was yet another extraordinary race from the Dutch driver, who pulled off a thrilling and complex comeback despite suffering a puncture on the second lap that cost him valuable time. But Verstappen never gives up, and once again he proved that there is simply no one better than him. Chapeau.
Extreme choices that were necessary
Max has once again demonstrated that greatness isn’t defined solely by titles. While Lando Norris is now the likely favorite to claim the world championship, there are those who do not need a crown to be considered a king. Verstappen remains the undisputed number one in Formula 1. It is now clear, no matter the latitude, that the superstar from Hasselt has no rivals. With his brilliance behind the wheel, he has entered the hearts of every Formula 1 fan — and how could it be otherwise, given the feats he continues to produce.
He is not a driver who seeks the spotlight, preferring to let the track do all the talking. The disastrous qualifying session on Saturday — remembered as his first Q1 elimination due to lack of performance — was the lowest point of his season. On that gloomy day, the son of Jos Verstappen likely lost his remaining hopes of fighting for the title.
At that point, there was nothing left to do but risk everything. As anticipated yesterday, Red Bull homologated the fifth power unit on car number 1. The intervention was made under parc fermé conditions, as the team needed a reliable foundation to start from again. Red Bull continued developing the RB21 up to the Mexican Grand Prix, introducing a new floor specification and several minor updates.
However, in Mexico, the expected progress did not materialize. On both Friday and Saturday, Max Verstappen and his engineers struggled to find a suitable setup. Extreme problems required extreme solutions. The Milton Keynes team ultimately granted its star driver’s request — to return to the Austin configuration. It was a leap into the unknown, given that the data collected during the sprint race offered little to no additional insight.
A race worthy of cinema
The Dutchman started from the pit lane with a new power unit and an untested setup. He began on hard tyres but, after just a few laps, was forced to pit due to a puncture and switched to the medium compound. From the opening laps, it became clear that the RB21 was a completely different car compared to the sluggish machine of the previous days. Verstappen turned the race on its head, employing an asynchronous strategy compared to his rivals.
Throughout the race, he used every Pirelli compound available: hard, medium, medium, and soft. It was a comeback for the ages — from the pit lane all the way to the podium. Smart as ever, Max knows that the São Paulo weekend has nearly extinguished his championship hopes, yet he also knows that the title wasn’t lost there. Too many points had already been wasted during the middle phase of the season.
It must be said that, at mid-season, only a fool would have considered Max a title contender. Yet his team once again demonstrated its trademark resilience and ability to bounce back after a Saturday that could have destroyed anyone’s confidence. Without overthinking, Verstappen now turns his focus to the Las Vegas Grand Prix with one simple goal: to win — perhaps with a little extra power from his brand-new engine.
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