A poor qualifying display and engine penalty meant Verstappen started Sunday’s round with only three cars behind him. But Verstappen assumed the lead of the race on lap 43 of 69 and never looked back in the treacherous conditions to claim a remarkable win that edges him ever closer to a fourth consecutive title.
Verstappen becomes the first driver since Kimi Raikkonen 19 years ago to win a race from so far back on the grid, taking the chequered flag an extraordinary 19.4 seconds clear of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, who were a surprise second and third for Alpine.
George Russell was fourth, one spot ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Norris, who started from pole position, finished only sixth on a desperately disappointing afternoon for him in Sao Paulo. The British driver, who ran off the road twice, is now 62 points behind Verstappen with only 86 points available over the concluding three rounds.
It means Verstappen will wrap up the title at the next race in Las Vegas on 24 November if he finishes ahead of his rival. A wild and wacky day at the races started when Lance Stroll crashed on the formation lap. The start was aborted but Norris then led the cars away for a second formation lap when he should not have. Norris faces a stewards’ investigation for the misstep.
Denne historien er fra November 04, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 04, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Saints win nine-try thriller with Smith's last-gasp kick
Fin Smith knocked over a last-minute penalty as Northampton beat league leaders Bath 35-34 in a “phenomenal” game of nine tries.
How overlooked star is key to Forest's magnificent rise
The best league position Nottingham Forest had achieved in 28 years came last season.
United 'a different team' in spirited draw at Liverpool
If the measure of a Manchester United player is how he performs against their fiercest rivals, then Amad Diallo has begun in auspicious style.
FAMILY MISFORTUNES
ITV's four-part drama 'Playing Nice' is bland porridge that buries any potential for a good thriller
Jolie has become cinema's most risk-averse star - she needs Kidman's courage
Staid biopic 'Maria' and erotic thriller 'Babygirl' expose how far the two women's careers have diverged, says Xan Brooks
'I'm a clown in a war zone'
Mohammed Nayef Salem tells Maira Butt how an unlikely vocation came to be a lifeline for hundreds of Gaza's children
Ride or die in team Trump
Alex Hannaford asks who, if anyone, can stop the incoming president from wreaking serious havoc in his second term
Filmmaker Baena died by suicide, coroner confirms
Jeff Baena's cause of death has been confirmed by officials, after news broke that the indie filmmaker had died aged 47.
'Significant' losses in Kursk for Russia and North Korea
Russian and North Korean forces suffered \"significant\" losses during intense fighting in Russia's southern Kursk region, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
First lawsuit filed against city of New Orleans after 'preventable' terror attack
Police targeted for its 'negligence' leading up to rampage
