The Dutchman came back from 17th on the grid to take victory at Interlagos, while his title rival Lando Norris fell back from pole to finish sixth. The British driver had trailed by 44 points but is now 62 behind, with 86 remaining on the table. If Verstappen is 60 ahead after the next round in Las Vegas, then the Red Bull driver will be champion.
The victory was his first since June, and following recent feisty exchanges on track with Norris, Verstappen had been fiercely critiqued for his behaviour from the likes of former F1 drivers Damon Hill, Martin Brundle and Johnny Herbert. Hill, who won the 1996 drivers' championship, had compared him to the Wacky Races villain Dick Dastardly, while Brundle said the Dutch driver's legacy was being "tainted" in the wake of his 20-second penalty in Mexico for forcing Norris off the road twice. Herbert, now an FIA steward, claimed Verstappen's driving had been "harsh" and "over the top".
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