Driver Standings After the 2024 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix

Verstappen Claims Stunning Sao Paulo GP Win After Starting P17

In a thrilling Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Max Verstappen made an incredible recovery from 17th on the grid to claim victory, marking his first win since June. In a chaotic race marked by heavy rain, crashes, and multiple incidents, Alpine also delivered a surprise performance, scoring a double podium with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly finishing in second and third.

Pre-Race Drama and Start Confusion

Even before the race began, chaos erupted when Lance Stroll spun out on the formation lap, leading to an aborted start and procedural confusion. While pole-sitter Lando Norris led several cars on a formation lap, others remained on the grid. As a result, Norris, George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson faced post-race investigations for formation lap infringements.

Once the lights went out, Russell managed a stronger start and took the lead from Norris. Meanwhile, Verstappen quickly began working his way up the field. Rain played a significant role throughout the race, leading to numerous position changes and forcing teams to make complex strategy calls as the track conditions constantly shifted.

Mid-Race Mayhem and Key Incidents

A series of crashes and intense battles kept drivers and teams on edge. Franco Colapinto crashed out on Lap 32, triggering a red flag after a series of pit stops during a brief Virtual Safety Car period. At that point, Ocon held the lead, with Verstappen and Gasly close behind. After the race resumed, Carlos Sainz’s crash brought out another Safety Car, further intensifying the action.

Verstappen took full advantage of the Safety Car restart, overtaking Ocon to take the lead and ultimately solidifying his position at the front. From there, he maintained a commanding pace and finished with a substantial 19.477-second gap.

Alpine’s Double Podium and Constructive Leap

The Sao Paulo GP proved extraordinary for Alpine, as Ocon and Gasly held off multiple challenges to secure second and third, marking a rare double podium for the team. This result gave Alpine a crucial points boost, propelling them from ninth to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship standings.

Russell finished fourth for Mercedes, narrowly missing out on the podium, while Charles Leclerc came in fifth for Ferrari. Despite early promise, Norris ended in sixth after losing ground in the drivers’ standings to Verstappen.

Race Results and Key Standings

Verstappen’s victory not only marked a personal triumph but also widened his lead in the Drivers’ Championship. The final top ten saw Verstappen, Ocon, Gasly, Russell, and Leclerc leading, with Norris, Tsunoda, Lawson, and Hamilton also in the points. Hamilton’s late push earned him the final point in 10th, while Sergio Perez narrowly missed out, finishing 11th after an intense duel with Hamilton.

The chaotic race saw only 15 drivers classified as finishers, with significant incidents leading to retirements. Sainz and Colapinto retired due to crashes, Nico Hulkenberg received a black flag for rule violations, and both Stroll and Alex Albon failed to start due to pre-race incidents.

• Verstappen scored 18 more points than Norris in the race, or 15 more over the whole Weekend if the sprint race is included. He thus locks up the drivers' standings but extinguishes Norris's hopes of winning the title in Abu Dhabi.
• Russell moved up in the standings, overtaking his team-mate Hamilton, who had a very complicated weekend.
• Tsunoda, who finished a fine third in qualifying, scored points with his seventh place in the race, enabling him to overtake Stroll in the drivers' standings.
• The Alpine drivers also scored big points with a double podium finish in the race, taking them from the bottom of the table to the middle.
  Gasly gains 4 places over Stroll, Magnussen, Albon and Ricciardo.
  Ocon moves up 5 places over Magnussen, Albon, Ricciardo, Bearman, and Colapinto.