The Formula 1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix will go down as a classic in years to come. The action started on the formation lap, with drivers battling to race in difficult conditions.
Masterclass driving from the front of the grid was mirrored by mistakes, with one driver achieving a zero rating due to their antics. Here are the winners and losers from a crazy 2024 Brazil GP.
Max Verstappen: 10
Grid Position P17, Race Result P1
Verstappen’s drive in Sao Paulo has placed him in the hall of fame of F1’s all-time greatest drivers. His race prospects looked bleak after a disastrous qualifying placed him so far down the order. Without DRS, he would need to overtake rivals the old-fashioned way. In contrast, title rival Lando Norris took an emphatic pole position and looked set to eat further into the reigning champion’s ever decreasing championship lead.
Instead, fans and pundits were treated to an absolute masterclass performance. Climbing to P11 by the end of the first lap, a huge part of his mammoth task had already been completed. Moving up the order with effortless ease, he found himself in 2nd behind Esteban Ocon’s Alpine at precisely the right moment. Once past his former adversary, Verstappen disappeared into the distance to take his first win in 10 races.
The Dutchman passed his rivals like they were standing still. He was simply in another league on race day, demonstrating wet weather prowess that rivalled Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. The Brazil GP has now firmly put the title back in Verstappen’s hands. It was a flawless performance to answer his critics.
Sergio Perez: 2
Grid Position P12, Race Result P11
Another race that will likely seal the Mexican’s fate at Red Bull in just three races time, the Brazil GP was yet another disaster for Perez. A clumsy spin on the first lap dropped him to the back, where he had to fight again with cars he had no business being near.
That team-mate Verstappen cruised past on the first lap is bad enough, but Perez failed to make any form of progress during the chaos in Sao Paulo. Once again finding himself on the same piece of tarmac as Liam Lawson (and losing), the writing is now very much on the wall. Lawson scored points, while Perez, in the car that Verstappen used as a rocket ship, failed to do so—game, set, and match.
Esteban Ocon: 9.5
Grid Position P4, Race Result P2
The Brazil GP marked the triumphant return of Ocon after an underwhelming few races. Races like the Brazil GP require drivers to think tactically and keep the car on the tarmac in the face of insurmountable odds. The Frenchman drove a near flawless race, remaining within touching distance of the leaders throughout, placing him in the best possible position to capitalise on the Safety Car.
Inheriting the lead after the Red Flag, he pulled away from Verstappen before the Safety Car ruined his chances at victory. Once the weather improved, the Dutchman took the lead. But for the second time in his career, Ocon utilised all the tools in front of him to secure a result that punches well above the weight of his car’s abilities. Alpine’s potential $30 million payday at the end of the season is a fantastic parting gift from another star driver in Brazil.
Pierre Gasly: 9
Grid Position P13, Race Result P3
Like his team-mate, Gasly kept his nose out of trouble during the race. A big ask on the opening laps and starting in atrocious conditions, he moved up the order and, like Ocon, found himself in the right place at the right time.
While he did not have to hold back a charging Red Bull, he had the much faster Mercedes of George Russell to contend with. But as the laps counted down, the Frenchman managed the gap with precision and secured a popular double podium for Alpine. Ocon was the better driver in Brazil, but Gasly’s run of strong performances continues in what will easily be the highlight of his season.
George Russell: 6
Grid Position P2, Race Result P4
A mediocre performance from Russell at the Sao Paulo GP saw a race lead fall away, and numerous mistakes curtail what should have been a podium finish. His defence of the lead from Lando Norris at the start of the race was admirable, but it all fell apart when the final Safety Car was deployed. Unable to catch the two Alpine’s fourth place at the chequered flag was a wasted opportunity.
Lewis Hamilton: 4
Grid Position P14, Race Result P10
Hamilton’s afternoon descended into desperation from the first lap. He had no pace in the W15 and fought the car at every corner as it tried to understeer him wide or not give him power on the straights. While a P10 finish secured a solitary point, driving the 1990 McLaren MP4/5B would be the highlight of his Sunday in Sao Paulo. With three races left before he moves to Ferrari, Hamilton’s career at Mercedes looks set to end on a whimper.
Charles Leclerc: 7
Grid Position P6, Race Result P5
Leclerc’s race is an enigma. Although he had several punchy moments, including forcing his way past Lando Norris, he never seemed capable of moving forward and battling with the front-runners. A questionable pit stop for new intermediate tyres on Lap 27 took him out of contention early on, and he never recovered from it, thanks to the first Safety Car. The momentum of the last two races has stalled, and Leclerc will need to work hard to help deliver the Constructors’ Championship back to Maranello for the first time since 2008.
Carlos Sainz: 2
Grid Position Pit Lane, Race Result DNF
The Brazil GP will be a weekend to forget for the race winner of just one week ago. Starting in the pits after his careless Q2 crash, Sainz used the pace of the SF-24 to make early moves, but on Lap 39, he spun into the barriers, causing one of the many Safety Cars that afternoon. After being the hero of Mexico, Brazil was a shattering return to earth for the Spaniard who gave his crew extended car repairs duty.
Lando Norris: 3.5
Grid Position P1, Race Result P6
Just before the start of the race, cameras focused on Norris as he prepared to enter his cockpit. He looked determined, with more than a hint of nervousness. It was the same mood from earlier in the season when he entered his slump in form. In short, he was feeling the pressure. With his title rival at the back of the grid, he had a golden opportunity to demolish the points gap to Verstappen, and show he had what it takes to be a title contender.
Instead, he completely crumbled under pressure, raising serious questions about his ability to fight for a championship over a full season. After his faux-pas on the formation lap landed him in hot water with the stewards, he failed yet again to lead into the first corner. Unable to pass Russell, Norris’ title charge began to unravel. Losing the lead and track position to Ocon and Verstappen after the Red Flag caused by Franco Colapinto’s track position compromised his afternoon; overtaking in the deteriorating weather was the only way to regain lost ground.
But numerous mistakes, including a costly poor restart when the race resumed, saw Norris lose three positions, eventually having to settle for sixth. In just 24 hours, he had gone from having momentum to seeing his title hopes all but disappear. Both Norris and McLaren will need to examine the disastrous Brazil GP and discover why the MCL38 transformed into a dog of a car in a matter of hours.
Oscar Piastri: 5
Grid Position P8, Race Result P8
After a run of poor qualifying performances, Piastri set out to prove on Sunday that he could still fight at the front. Giving up the Sprint Race win was now a memory, and he set his sights on securing another top finish. The Australian proved the slower of the two McLarens and had an afternoon as busy as his team-mate. Picking up a 10-second penalty for his clash with Liam Lawson dropped him behind Yuki Tsunoda at the chequered flag, rounding off a tough day at the office.
Yuki Tsunoda: 6.5
Grid Position P3, Race Result P7
Starting on the second row, staying within the top four would always be a tall order for Tsunoda. But he had a good start and headed a long queue of cars in the early stages, running third. Like a few drivers, he got caught out by the Red Flag caused by Colaptinto, losing track position to the drivers that gained a free tyre change. Inheriting an extra place at the expense of Piastri rounded off a strong day for Tsunoda, who continues to impress under the radar.
Liam Lawson: 5.5
Grid Position P5, Race Result P9
Lawson did not enjoy as strong a race as his team-mate. Dropping two positions at the start, he again duelled with new arch-rival Sergio Perez, emerging victorious. Not even a tangle with Piastri’s McLaren de-railed him, but he needed to fight for his points the hard way after the Colapinto Red Flag. It was another successful audition for Red Bull. Even if it was scrappy at times, outperforming Perez will go a long way to securing his dream seat.
Oliver Bearman: 3.5
Grid Position P15, Race Result P12
Being thrown into the deep end again this season, the Brazil GP became the first time Bearman sunk. He had a torrid afternoon marked by errors and a series of off-track excursions, including two spins at Turn Seven, ensuring he would finish out of the points. Having not raced in Brazil or in conditions as bad as race day, Bearman had a baptism of fire to the legendary Autódromo José Carlos Pace. But poor car control denied him points on a day when one of its biggest rivals enjoyed a huge haul.
Nico Hulkenberg: 2
Grid Position P18, Race Result DNF
Hulkenberg broke a golden rule of motorsport in Brazil: never receive marshal assistance if beached off the track, as he did on Lap 27 after beaching his Haas. Disqualification was inevitable, and it was the first black flag since 2008. Prior to this, he did not make an impression on the race, flirting inside the top ten but unable to move forward. After such a strong season, this was the worst time to have a dip in form. It could cost Haas millions. Unlike Ocon’s, this parting gift may not be so gratefully received.
Valtteri Bottas: 3.5
Grid Position P11, Race Result P13
Bottas once again saw a good qualifying result evaporate in a matter of corners. The Sauber struggled for pace in the treacherous conditions, and any hopes of points that afternoon were gone by Turn Four. Once he slipped back into familiar territory at the back of the field, he could not move forward again. Beating the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso provided a small positive, but the Brazil GP became yet another day to forget.
Zhou Guanyu: 3
Grid Position P19, Race Result P15
Slowest in qualifying and the final car to take the chequered flag, Zhou failed to feature in the race, with the Chinese driver given hardly any airtime. The time to save his career looks to have long since passed, and the kindest thing to do will be to let him go at the end of the season. The gap to team-mate Bottas is growing as the season concludes, with this race one of his worst.
Fernando Alonso: 4
Grid Position P9, Race Result P14
Alonso’s race proved to be a monumental disaster for Aston Martin. In a hastily repaired car after his qualifying crash, he had no pace whatsoever and dropped like a stone. Nursing a braking issue as well as dealing with a bouncy ride, his car seems lightyears away from the one that scored a podium here just a year ago. The only from here is up, but it is a mountain that needs to be climbed.
Kudos to him for finishing the race, however, despite being in considerable pain. Rather than retiring, he said he wanted to get to the end for his mechanics after their herculean efforts to rebuild his and his team-mate Lance Stroll’s cars after qualifying. Alonso may have a reputation as a troublemaker for past years, but his loyalty to his team is never in question.
Lance Stroll: 0
Grid Position P10, Race Result DNS
Not since the pay driver era of the 1990s has such amateur driving been seen in F1, as Stroll seemingly lost his sense of reality, his ridiculous formation lap worthy of a zero rating. While not alone in struggling to get to the grid, his antics were comical, embarrassing and indefensible.
Any driver who believes the best way to re-join a soaked track is through a gravel trap will have their right to be in F1 questioned. Why Stroll did this remains a mystery. He tried to call the incident brake failure afterwards in an equally moronic attempt to keep credibility, but the team did not confirm this in any of its media statements. Regardless, his lack of common sense acted as a kick to the stomach for the mechanics who worked tirelessly to get his car repaired after his earlier crash.
Franco Colapinto: 2
Grid Position P16, Race Result DNF
Driving F1 cars in the rain is a difficult and refined art that the young Argentine learned the hard way. Although he raced well, he struggled to get near the points before his massive crash on Lap 32, which changed the course of the race for so many. His second of the day, he has contributed to an enormous repair bill for Williams in Brazil and will need to finish the last three races in the points to have any chance of recuperating some of the funds required.
Alex Albon: N/A
Grid Position P7, Race Result DNS
Albon’s race ended in Q3 after his spectacular crash that wrote off yet another chassis for Williams. With the gearbox and the electrics hanging out of the back, starting the race was never really going to be an option. Lining up on the front row before his self-induced elimination, the team will wonder what would have happened in the race if not for Albon being a bit too greedy under challenging conditions.
READ MORE: Max Verstappen wins action-packed F1 Brazil GP from 17th, Alpine land shock double podium
