Max Verstappen stunned after Interlagos mishap as star dri…read more
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen endured one of the most humiliating qualifying sessions of his career at the 2025 Brazilian Grand Prix in São Paulo, starting off his weekend in dramatic fashion by being knocked out in Q1 and reducing his title hopes to ashes.
The 28-year-old Dutchman arrived at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace (Interlagos) with genuine ambitions of fighting back into his usual dominant form. Heading into the weekend just 36 points off rival Lando Norris, Verstappen and his Red Bull Racing team had talked up a comeback—only for the reality to be brutally different.
It began badly on Friday, when during sprint-qualifying Verstappen reported his car was “just crap” after struggling with excessive vibration, a lack of grip and a car that “was all over the place.” He limped home sixth in the sprint session—a poor result by his standards.
Behind the scenes, Red Bull attempted a dramatic set-up change ahead of the main qualifying: sacrificing stability in a bid to extract performance. But the gamble back-fired spectacularly: Verstappen couldn’t get a meaningful lap together, reported “zero” grip over the radio and eventually crashed out in Q1, qualifying a dismal 16th. His team-mate joined him in misery, meaning both Red Bull cars failed to make Q2—a scenario not seen since 2006.
Verstappen admitted afterward that he “couldn’t push at all” and “had to under-drive” just to keep the car on track—actions incompatible with a top-tier qualifying performance. Team principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged the changes “went in the opposite direction” of their intention, summing up the session as “painful and difficult to accept.”
The fallout is significant. With only four race weekends remaining and Norris bolting ahead—having claimed pole and the sprint win in São Paulo—Verstappen’s title chase looks practically done. He confessed he could “forget about that [title]” given the position he now finds himself in and the uphill task that remains.
Beyond the numbers, the mood around the paddock has shifted. Commentators such as Martin Brundle noted the sight of Verstappen’s car sliding wide and fighting for stability looked wildly unlike the usual picture of the Dutchman dominating at Interlagos. The fans too, witnessing a driver who has rarely looked vulnerable, were stunned. According to several accounts, boos echoed in the grandstand—a rare reaction for a driver of his calibre. (Though precise audio-footage is not cited here.)
For Verstappen the message is stark: if you’re going to salvage something from this weekend, you’ll need near-perfect race strategy, sublime pace and a lot of luck. Starting from 16th, the likelihood of a podium now feels remote, and the psychological blow is deep. He went from being a favourite to a long shot in one session.
As the paddock resets for Sunday’s race, the spotlight will undoubtedly be on Red Bull’s ability to recover—and on whether Max Verstappen can still salvage something from what has rapidly become a nightmare weekend. But at this moment, the title shot is bleeding away, and the Brazilian mis-step might just turn into the turning-point of his 2025 season.