P1racenews AI automatic summary:
While Max Verstappen’s charge from the pit lane to the podium in F1’s Sao Paulo GP was lauded, it showed a glaring missed opportunity for Red Bull.
Max Verstappen’s remarkable climb from the pit lane to the podium at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix was widely praised, highlighting a missed opportunity for Red Bull. Despite starting with a new power unit and set-up due to a Q1 shock exit, Verstappen displayed exceptional speed, matching his 16-place climb to victory in 2024. His impressive pace throughout the Grand Prix underlined Red Bull’s missed chance, as he was consistently faster than McLaren and Mercedes. Red Bull’s decision to pit for a podium finish instead of challenging Lando Norris revealed their missed opportunity. Verstappen’s unexpected Q1 elimination was attributed to a miscalculation with set-up changes, leading to a drastic overhaul of his car. While this overhaul aided his recovery drive, it raised questions about what could have been if everything had gone according to plan.
