Max Verstappen put in one of the best drives Formula 1 has ever seen to win the Brazilian Grand Prix after starting 17th on the grid.
But after the race his closest championship rival Lando Norris refused to recognise Max’s brilliance, instead calling Max “lucky”. F1 fans have not responded well to Lando’s comments.
Brilliant Verstappen at Brazil
Max Verstappen had a rollercoaster weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix. After getting knocked out in Q2 during qualifying and a 5 place grid penalty for an engine swap, he lined up 17th on the starting grid.
His title rival Lando Norris qualified on pole position and it looked like this would be a great opportunity for the McLaren driver to close the gap in the championship. But Verstappen had other ideas.
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On the first lap alone Max overtook 7 other drivers. From there on he continued to carve his way through the field, overtaking in the rain with ease despite there being no DRS due to the wet conditions.
After Lando Norris and George Russell pitted for new tyres ahead of him, Max decided to stay out on track. A red flag followed soon after which meant he could get a free set of new tyres.
When the race restarted he was in second, but he swiftly passed the Alpine of Esteban Ocon for the lead. From then on he was untouchable. On his way to winning the race by over 19 seconds from Ocon, Max set 17 fastest laps.
This was one of Max’s finest victories ever. His confidence in the car on the treacherous rainy surface was unmatched. He found grip where others couldn’t and put in one of the best performances Formula One has ever seen.
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Norris' poor race
For Lando Norris, who started on pole, the race unfolded quite differently. He lost the lead at the start to George Russell, then paid the price after deciding to pit for fresh Intermediate Wet tyres under the Virtual Safety Car as a red flag came out shortly after.
After the race restarted he made a couple of on-track mistakes and lost out to Russell and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. In the end he finished 6th and never showed anything like the pace that Verstappen displayed.
The McLaren driver’s sixth-place finish badly impacts his championship hopes as it has widened Verstappen’s lead to 62 points with just 3 races left.
The Red Flag tyre rule
One of the most contentious aspects of the Brazilian GP was the rule allowing teams to change tyres during a red flag period without losing track position.
During the early stages of the race a Virtual Safety Car was called after Nico Hulkenberg beached his HAAS on the run-off area at Turn 1. Lando decided to pit for fresh intermediate tyres along with Russell from the lead, but they did so just as the VSC ended, costing them nearly 20 seconds.
Verstappen and the two Alpines, all of whom were now ahead of Lando and George, decided not to pit and stayed on track. A few laps later Franco Colapinto crashed out heavily in the rain which prompted a red flag.
This allowed Verstappen, the two Alpines and several other drivers to swap to new tyes during the red flag period without incurring the typical time loss associated with pit stops.
For Verstappen this was a pivotal moment, maintaining track position and sporting a fresh set of rubber when the race restarted.
Lando's post-race comments
After the race, Norris voiced his frustration about how the rules played into the outcome. He was particularly critical of the regulation that permits tyre changes under red flag conditions, arguing that it handed Verstappen an undeserved advantage over himself and George Russell who pitted before the red flag.
Lando said “George probably felt like he won the race today. He deserved to win the race today more than anyone else.”
When talking about Verstappen and Red Bull he said “They got lucky on a rule that no one agrees with”. He went on to add, “That’s life sometimes. You take a gamble, it’s paid off for them. It’s not talent, it’s just luck.”
Fans and pundits react to Lando's comments
Norris’ remarks ignited strong reactions from F1 fans who were outraged that Lando was putting Max’s victory down to luck rather than acknowledging the skill and talent required to go from 17th to 1st in those conditions.
Many fans took to social media to share their opinions, One fan wrote, “It’s racing, and luck is always a factor. But coming from 17th and winning isn’t just luck—it’s skill. Lando should know better.”
Another fan referred to the fortuitous timing of the safety car at the Miami Grand Prix where Lando took his first win by saying “Norris himself has benefited from race rules in the past. Dismissing someone else’s win as luck feels unsportsmanlike”.
Someone else said “‘George deserved to win more than anyone else’ LOL did we watch the same race Lando?”
Another fan said “Lando calling Max’s p17 to p1 (historic drive) as luck? Such a sore loser.”
Someone else said joked saying “I agree with Norris, P17 to P1 “is not talent, just luck.” P1 to P6 and losing P1 at Turn 1 multiple times, now that’s a real talent.”
Pundits also weighed in on the debate. Sky Sports F1 analyst Ted Kravitz said, “While it’s fair to question the red flag rule, calling Verstappen’s win purely luck overlooks the incredible race he drove. You can’t ignore the skill involved in moving from 17th to 1st.”
Damon Hill, a former world champion, added, “Drivers get frustrated, especially in the heat of competition. But this win was more than just luck. Max was in control, making every move count.”
