Winners and Losers from 2024 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix

Interlagos hosted an unforgettable São Paulo Grand Prix, won by Max Verstappen from a staggering 17th on the grid. 

Verstappen ended his 10-race winless streak in what was one of the greatest performances of his F1 career. 

The wet conditions resulted in several surprises throughout the finishing order, perhaps none bigger than Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly finishing second and third for Alpine.

With Verstappen claiming a famous win and Lando Norris sixth, the reigning F1 now has a 62-point lead over the Briton in the F1 drivers’ title.

So, who has made the RacingNews365 list of winners and losers for the 2024 F1 São Paulo Grand Prix?

Winner – Max Verstappen

“Simply lovely”. Verstappen’s famous phrase returned – and then some on Sunday at Interlagos!

Many predicted the 27-year-old could claim a podium from 17th on the grid, but very few expected him to work his way through almost the entire field to win.

It was one of the greatest drives in F1 history, and one of Verstappen’s most famous wins, which has seen him move to within touching distance of becoming a four-time champion. 

Verstappen made up six places on the first lap alone, highlighting his confidence in the horrible conditions. 

Mistakes were made by almost every driver, but the Red Bull star was not one of them. 

After what unfolded in Mexico City, Verstappen silenced his critics perfectly – by doing his talking on the circuit.

Loser – Lando Norris

Verstappen had nothing to lose starting from 17th because he entered the race with a comfortable 44-point advantage over Norris. That was in stark contrast to the McLaren driver. 

Whilst he did not quite lose everything, Norris needs a miracle to become champion this season. 

An error at the aborted start, after Lance Stroll crashed on the formation lap, saw the 24-year-old fined after the race. That was his first of several errors, which included a bad start. 

George Russell took the lead from polesitter Norris, who had multiple excursions off the circuit, costing him places. 

Norris was unlucky, like Russell, to be caught out by a red flag, as both drivers pitted moments before the race was stopped. 

Sixth was the best the British driver could salvage in the end, moving Verstappen 62 points clear in the standings. The title will likely be won in Las Vegas or the Qatar sprint.

Winner – Alpine

Yes, you read the introduction correctly! A double podium for Alpine has revitalised the team’s season in remarkable fashion, and has given the outfit hope of a serious financial boost. 

Ocon and Gasly, finishing second and third, has moved the Enstone-based team from ninth to sixth in the F1 constructors’ championship, a move worth $30 million if it can hold on to the spot until the end of the year. 

Alpine has been improving over recent rounds, whilst the rain was the great equaliser. Fourth on the grid for Ocon gave the team hope of something special, but special was eclipsed!

As perfectly put by Gasly, a double Alpine podium would not have been on anyone’s “bingo card” at the start of the season.

Loser – Hamilton

When it rains, Lewis Hamilton is a driver you can typically depend on to score serious points, let alone make a mistake. 

The seven-time champion struggled for confidence in the W15 in both the dry and the wet after being eliminated in SQ1 and Q1 across the sprint qualifying and traditional qualifying sessions. 

In a country the 39-year-old loves, it was a weekend he will quickly want to forget. His highlight was a demo run in an Ayrton Senna McLaren. 

Hamilton described his car as “crap” in Interlagos, and revealed that the end of the season “can’t come soon enough”.

Winner – The fans

The F1 fans were truly the big winners from the São Paulo GP, and in particular those at Interlagos who were forced to set alarm clocks for very early Sunday morning. 

Every session was thrilling and unpredictable, a bit like the weather! 

Those who stood in the pouring rain on Saturday afternoon before being told qualifying was postponed to Sunday were rewarded with a day which will never be forgotten.

The weather remained grim, but the fans got to see one of the greatest qualifying sessions in F1 history and a race where the unthinkable for Verstappen and Alpine happened. 

Loser – Williams

Heavy crashes are becoming an unwanted trend for Williams this season, which continued in Interlagos.

Three crashes on Sunday summarised an expensive grand prix for the Grove-based team, who now have a huge repair job on both cars. 

Both Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto crashed in qualifying, the former’s crash was so significant that he was unable to start the race due to the extent of the damage to his FW46. 

Colapinto did start the race but triggered a red flag midway through after a scary accident at the final high-speed corner. 

The repairs will cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, maybe into the millions, applying further pressure on the drivers and team principal James Vowles.