Max Verstappen laments that he has “lost 12 hours of my life I’ll never get back” due to his penalty, which forces him to start from the back of the grid at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The four-time world champion will begin the race in Brazil from 21st place after Red Bull installed a completely new power unit in his RB22 car.
Despite the heavy rain and significant delays during qualifying at Interlagos, Verstappen participated and advanced to Q2. He then chose not to continue in the session to conserve wet tyres, anticipating similar weather for Sunday’s race. Qualifying was postponed for over an hour after torrential rain caused an immediate red flag in Q1. During this downtime, Verstappen revealed he passed the time by watching Premier League football.
“Nottingham Forest versus Manchester City was the last match I watched before getting back into the car. It ended 3-1, and I saw a fantastic goal just before I returned,” Verstappen told reporters, including Motorsport.com in Brazil. However, he added, “Starting last means it doesn’t really make a difference. I feel like I’ve wasted 12 hours today that I can’t get back.”
When asked if he found any enjoyment during qualifying, Verstappen admitted, “Not really, because I’m not competing for anything right now. My focus is already on tomorrow’s race, so the goal was just to complete a lap safely. Every lap we did was competitive, but that’s expected.”
Starting one place behind Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen doesn’t anticipate repeating his remarkable recovery from 17th place to win last year’s Sao Paulo race in 2024. “In the past, fighting back was possible, but now without DRS and given the restrictive nature of overtake mode here due to the long straight, it’s much tougher,” he explained. “Since everyone is using their battery power, speed differences on the straight will be minimal. It will be similar to Mexico, making overtaking considerably harder.”
The race will see McLaren’s Lando Norris take pole position for the 71-lap event, with newly crowned world champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli starting alongside him on the front row for Mercedes.
Fan Take:
This update highlights how technical penalties can dramatically shake up the grid, testing even the best drivers like Verstappen. For racing fans, it ensures that no matter the competitor, the unpredictability keeps every race thrilling and showcases the importance of strategy and adaptability in modern Formula 1.
Source: www.crash.net
