. Records, red flags, chaos… Why this Brazilian GP was one of the craziest in history

In a sport, it is not only the past that can make up its great history. The present also participates and, this Sunday, November 3, 2024, we may have witnessed a chapter in the great book of . At the Brazilian Grand Prix, on the land of Ayrton Senna, 30 years after his death, we had to see a sign in the crazy scenario of Interlagos.

“Magic Senna” was perhaps keeping an eye on the progress of his local Grand Prix. He who has been so much in the spotlight, like this moment suspended in time when Lewis Hamilton, Brazilian flag in hand, completed several laps of honor with the Brazilian legend’s former McLaren.

Moving moment at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton paying tribute to Ayrton Senna. | GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
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Moving moment at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton paying tribute to Ayrton Senna. | GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Record number of red flags in qualifying

Because this weekend in Brazil started under the best auspices for Lando Norris, winner of the sprint format, who continued to grab points from Max Verstappen, in order to maintain the suspense found at the end of the season. We then have to wait for the qualifying session, initially scheduled for Saturday, to see things take a turn for the worse. Due to too much rain, the session is postponed to Sunday morning… 7:30 a.m. local time…

All weekend, the Brazilian Grand Prix had to deal with rain. | PHOTO: RUDY CAREZZEVOLI / AFP
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All weekend, the Brazilian Grand Prix had to deal with rain. | PHOTO: RUDY CAREZZEVOLI / AFP

Such an early schedule, probably explaining what happened next: five red flags in a single session, a sad record equaled for the greatest number of stops during qualifying. Fortunately, these five accidents had no impact on the health of the drivers but rather a promise of spectacle for the race, offering a completely new starting grid, like the second row, made up of Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls, 3e) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine, 4e). And increased suspense for the World Drivers’ Championship, with Lando Norris in pole position, Max Verstappen at the opposite end of the grid, 17e.

READ ALSO. F1. Rain, destroyed cars… Was it really necessary to maintain qualifying for the Brazilian GP?

A training tour like no other

There were still warning signs about the course of the race, when the Brazilian Grand Prix came alive from the formation lap… On a track that was still wet after the constant rain coming from the Brazilian sky, Lance Stroll was trapped and was forced to retire after leaving the track and causing his car to get stuck in a gravel trap.

The drivers on the track are incomprehensible themselves, since Lando Norris forgets the essential rule of the traffic lights which did not authorize him to restart a formation lap. The McLaren driver probably avoided a penalty as half the grid followed him in his mistake, providing a scene with drivers embarking on a new formation lap and others glued to the grid, trusting the signage .

With such chaos so early, we understood that we were about to experience a historic race, this Sunday, November 3. From the first lap, the rain reappeared at high intensity, gradually transforming the circuit into an ice rink. But the F1 drivers show their talent to be part of this premier category, putting on a spectacle similar to dry track conditions, with plenty of battles at all levels.

Max Verstappen, almost unheard of

Probably still marked by the qualifying session, the race management put an end to this spectacle unexpectedly, by deploying the safety car, in the face of reduced visibility on the track. “The pilots said it was getting really dangerous”also wants to justify Frédéric Vasseur, boss at Ferrari, to Canal+.

Still, this interruption of the race by reducing the pace of the drivers led Franco Colapinto (Williams) to make a mistake and with a big accident, fortunately still without major consequences. French supporters can rub their hands to see the race under a red flag with Esteban Ocon leader and Pierre Gasly 3enot having stopped at the pits, unlike the masses. At this moment of the race also Max Verstappen 2eis very happy seeing Lando Norris 4e. As a reminder, one left 17ethe other in pole position.

Victory is still far from being achieved for the Dutchman, since Esteban Ocon, who often admits that the rainy conditions are to his advantage, resists the three-time reigning world champion and even widens a gap. But once again, a safety car, caused by the exit from the track of Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), reshuffles the cards in this Grand Prix with an undecided scenario until the last lap.

The second battle ultimately turned to the advantage of the leader of the world championship, who retained his victory until the end. It has only happened twice in history that a pilot, starting 17e on the starting grid, finally finished as winner of the Grand Prix. John Watson in 1982 and Kimi Räikkönen in 2005 achieved a similar feat in the past. In addition to the feat, Max Verstappen rushes towards a 4e world title consecutively, regaining 62 points ahead of Lando Norris finally 6e in Brazil.

READ ALSO. F1. The World Drivers’ Championship standings after the Brazilian Grand Prix

Alpine can easily console itself, by placing its two drivers on the podium for the first time in its young history under this name, Esteban Ocon finishing 2e and Pierre Gasly 3ehaving resisted until the last lap a threatening George Russell (4eMercedes). We also have to go back to 1997 to see two French drivers on the same F1 podium (Olivier Panis and Jean Alesi). A Grand Prix that the French team will remember for a long time and not only them, all F1 fans who attended it will be able to cite it as a reference for chaos and spectacle in a few more years…

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