Max Verstappen’s championship dreams took a heavy hit at the Brazilian Grand Prix as he was caught in a whirlwind of delays, crashes, and penalties, ultimately landing him in a devastating 17th starting position. The Red Bull star’s frustration boiled over after he was knocked out in Q2, with his hopes dashed not only by tricky conditions but by what he saw as a mishandled red flag decision following Lance Stroll’s crash.
Verstappen, already contending with a five-place grid penalty and fierce competition from his title rival Lando Norris, entered the wet Interlagos qualifying with high hopes of making a statement. But those hopes were dashed in the final moments of Q2. With conditions improving, Verstappen was preparing for a last-minute surge when Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll lost control and crashed, triggering yellow flags. Forced to slow down, Verstappen was left with no chance to reclaim his position before the session was ultimately halted with a red flag.
An irate Verstappen expressed his disbelief at the decision-making delay. “If a guy goes straight into the wall, it’s a straight red,” he told Sky. “I don’t understand why it took 30, 40 seconds for the red flag to come out… It’s ridiculous.” When informed the delay might have been to allow others to complete their laps, he fired back: “I don’t care, it’s so stupid to even talk about.”
Adding to the drama, teammate Sergio Perez also failed to advance to Q3, finishing 13th, making it a disastrous day for Red Bull. Verstappen’s exit marks a critical setback in the title fight with Norris, who will now have a significant advantage heading into the race.
With his penalty pushing him to 17th, Verstappen faces an uphill battle on Sunday, needing a near-miraculous drive to stay in the hunt for the championship. The Interlagos showdown has set the stage for a potentially season-defining clash, as Verstappen fights to recover from a painful blow in the most critical stretch of the F1 season.
