Norris’ dream weekend and Verstappen’s nightmare
It seems that the motor gods, in a fit of boredom, decided to exchange the scripts for the Brazilian Grand Prix. On the one hand, we have Lando Norris, the golden boy of McLaren, who not only won the sprint race on Saturday but also, just in case someone forgot who’s boss, stood in pole position for the main race. A display of power to extend their lead in the championship. What a detail, right?
Meanwhile, in the corner of Shakespearean dramas, we find Max Verstappen, the until recently invincible four-time champion, who, after a disastrous qualification that left him in 16th place, basically waved goodbye to his fifth consecutive title. His words, not mine: “I can forget about that.” A declaration of surrender that surely filled his rivals with joy and Red Bull managers with horror. Of course, then there is the small detail that last year he won from 17th place on this same circuit. But why let past events spoil a good existential crisis?
Norris, with the modesty that characterizes a driver who is killing everything, described his performances as “slippery, inconsistent, but fun.” Come on, a walk in the park. He thanked the team for giving him “a great car”, as obvious as saying that Interlagos is usually hot. For his part, poor Oscar Piastri, his McLaren teammate, saw the gap widen to nine points and, to top it all off, he couldn’t finish the sprint race. Something like going to a party with your best friend and he wins the lottery and you drop your phone in the toilet.
A Brazilian setting with all the ingredients for chaos
The track, partially wet, witnessed Norris winning by just 0.174 seconds over Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, who seems determined to make his life impossible. Norris admitted: “Kimi certainly wasn’t making my life easier.” A very polite way of saying “this brat wouldn’t take off the back wheel for me.” The sprint race also gave us the spectacle of seeing how Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber’s local favorite, decided that the Interlagos wall needed a closer hug on the last lap. His car was so wrecked that he will start from the pit lane tomorrow, giving his home fans exactly the experience they weren’t expecting.
And the football seasoning couldn’t be missing. With the overwhelming majority of Brazilian and Argentine fans in the stands, their eternal rivalry moves to the asphalt, where Franco Colapinto of Alpine will start 18th, close to his “friend” Bortoleto. Who said that the Clásico is only played on the field?
Meanwhile, on planet Ferrari, things aren’t looking much better. Charles Leclerc will start third, which is not bad, but Lewis Hamilton could only manage a disappointing 13th place. Someone at Mercedes must be wondering if they’ve swapped tires for skids. To add fuel to the fire of uncertainty, rain forecasts for Sunday are more changeable than the mood of a driver on worn soft tires. Some teams bet on those tires for qualifying and now they will have to keep them for the race, a game of strategy that can go as well as an octopus in a garage.
As it is, the stage is set for a crazy Sunday. Norris will try to consolidate his leadership, Verstappen will look for a miracle that he himself has already ruled out, and the rest will fight to not be a mere extra in Lando’s movie. All of this in the infernal cauldron that is Interlagos. It promises, and a lot.
Do you think Verstappen can come back or will Norris take everything on Sunday?Share your prediction on your social networks and discover more analysis about the exciting Formula 1 season on our website.
