Max Verstappen reflects on incredible save and drive in Brazil
A lesser driver would have ended up in the wall, or at least without any points.
However, Max Verstappen drove a legendary race at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, even if it was only enough for third position.
The 19-year-old Dutch racing driver had started from fourth position and picked up third when Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen crashed out. He then made his way up by Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg for second soon after a mid-race restart.
However, things almost went south for him on Lap 38, when his car turned dead left on the main straight and was pointing directly at the wall. Somehow, Verstappen was able to not only save it, but maintain the position.
“I don’t know, maybe I clipped a bit of the curb, and I had a massive moment, locked all four wheels, and managed to keep it out of the guardrail and continue still in second,” Verstappen explained on the podium. “Then we decided to pit for intermediates but unfortunately it started to rain afterward so it didn’t work out. But then after that, I think I was 15th, 14th, I don’t know where I was, and then some great overtakes and then to get back on the podium is amazing. I couldn’t see when I was straight behind so I had to take a different line.”
Indeed he did, as Verstappen used some unorthodox lines to work his way back up through the field to finish third while his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, could only manage eighth with a similar strategy.
Verstappen was awarded driver of the day by the fans but, when asked on the podium how much of his save was down to luck and how much of it was down to skill, the teenager replied simply: “50-50.”
Click HERE for the full race report.
LAP 39/71
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 13, 2016
VES is off! How did he keep it out of the barriers?
Max: "My heartbeat went a bit higher there" ?#BrazilGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/DSuFjxbXdS
